California police arrest suspect following SoFi Stadium altercation that seriously injured 49ers fan
Daniel Luna had to be placed in a medically induced coma after Rams-49ers NFC Championship game
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A suspect has been arrested following an altercation during last weekend's NFC Championship Game in Inglewood, California, that left a San Francisco 49ers fan seriously injured, forcing him to be placed in a medically induced coma, police and officials say.
Inglewood police Lt. Nicole Loudermilk confirmed that Bryan Alexis Cifuentes, 33, was taken into custody Thursday night.
The injured fan, Daniel Luna, 40, was punched, then fell and struck his head on the ground outside SoFi Stadium, where the 49ers were playing the host Los Angeles Rams, Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. said at a news conference Thursday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Inglewood is located just outside Los Angeles.
Bryan Alexis Cifuentes. (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
49ERS FAN HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING ATTACK AT SOFI STADIUM
Butts said police sought the suspect based on a blurry video and a vehicle's license plate number.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Luna, who owns a restaurant in Oakland, was mingling in a crowd of about 16 people at the stadium, most of them wearing what appeared to be 49ers jerseys, when he pushed a man wearing a Rams jersey from behind, Butts said after viewing the video.
Before that, Butts said, "there didn’t seem to be any hostilities."
When Luna turned to walk away, the man pushed Luna back, the mayor said. When Luna turned, the man punched him in the mouth, causing Luna to fall to the ground and hit the back of his head, Butts said, estimating that the encounter lasted less than five seconds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Los Angeles Rams' Travin Howard, middle, returns an interception during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Inglewood, California. The Rams won 20-17 to advance to the Super Bowl, (Associated Press)
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"It looked like a small altercation that went very bad," he said. "From one punch and someone falling, hitting their head on the ground. It wasn’t like you had people ganging up on somebody and beating them."
Luna had traveled to Los Angeles by himself for the game after some of his friends canceled, the Los Angeles Times reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.