Pittsburgh Mayor Orders Investigation Into Arrest Of Cubs Fan

The mayor of Pittsburgh has ordered an internal investigation after video of a police officer body-slamming a goat-costume-wearing Chicago Cubs fan at an October. 7 post-season baseball game against the Pirates at PNC Park circulated widely online.

Mr. Turcy declined to provide a copy of the letter. The head of the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board says the officer may have engaged in “questionable conduct”.

“Totally uncalled for, that’s my impression” of the officer’s actions, Mr. Turcy said in an interview.

But police union president Howard McQuillan says the officer acted appropriately because the fan refused to follow instructions.

Mr. Turcy said he is awaiting a response from the city law department.

Video of the incident during the Pirates’ Wild Card loss was uploaded to YouTube on Sunday. Cell phone video shows Chicago sports fan Dimitry Mitalas, who arrived at the ballpark decked out in a Cubs jacket and a goat hat in honor of the great superstition that has had the Cubs cursed for 60 years, in what appears to be a choke hold by a Pittsburgh policeman, who then body-slams him to the concrete. When he approached an officer in the ballpark’s concourse about the incident, that’s when witnesses say the police officer went off for no apparent reason.

A fan threw a container with chewing tobacco juice at Mr. Mitalas, and the two “had words” before an usher kicked out Mr. Mitalas, the attorney said.

Someone appears to grab at the device recording the incident, and someone yells “Put the phone down”. A Pirates fan met up with Mr. Mitalas after the game and provided the second video. When the fan asks, “Can I talk to you”, the officer puts one arm around the back of his neck and walks him away, prompting the fan to yell, “Stop it!” and try to pry away the officer’s arm.