While the exact cause of death remains unknown, preliminary autopsy results reveal no “traumatic injury” occurred in the death of a New England Patriots fan who died during a stadium brawl with a Dolphins fan on Sunday night.
The autopsy results did, however, uncover a medical issue.
Dale Mooney, 53, went to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusets, on Sunday along with three friends to cheer on the Patriots. Mooney’s friends and other eyewitnesses claim that a group of Dolphins fans had been jawing and taunting them throughout the game, and eventually, the two groups squared off in the stands.
“By the fourth quarter, it had just kind of come to blows,” said witness Joe Kilmartin, according to CBS News.
During Sunday Night Football a 30 year season holder & a patriots fan passed away while getting knocked out by a Dolphins fan, falling & never gaining consciousness back.
RIP Dale Mooney and prayers to his family 🙏 pic.twitter.com/lusYe9kmnY
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) September 19, 2023
“Then you saw a fan deliver two punches to the victim, a Dolphins fan, he was wearing a Dolphins jersey, and the victim just kind of slumped over at that point in his seat,” Kilmartin said.
According to another witness, “At one point, one came down to the other one’s row, and it got more physical, just pushing and shoving, grabbing jerseys or whatever, but I only saw one punch, but I definitely saw the punch and the gentleman was knocked out in one punch, it was a pretty vicious punch.”
The autopsy report does not identify the medical issue the procedure revealed.
Mooney’s wife told 7NEWS that her husband had no known heart condition. However, his father did have heart issues.
Dale Mooney was a self-employed construction worker who had been a Patriots season ticket holder for 30 years.