The 18-year-old reportedly suffered a brain injury from head trauma.
Rowdy Philadelphia Eagles fans took to the streets en masse on Sunday night following the NFC Championship win against the Washington Commanders that secured the team’s spot in the upcoming Super Bowl. And in the chaotic aftermath, an 18-year-old is on life support in critical condition after falling from a light pole.
The unnamed teen fell from a pole at 15th and Market Street in the Center City neighborhood at some point on Sunday night. According to 6 ABC News, he was taken to the nearby Jefferson Hospital with a brain injury from head trauma.
The incident was caught in footage taken by a fellow reveler at the scene. In the video, two men can be seen scaling the pole when the one further up suddenly fell. After nearly taking out his friend, the second man climbed down to presumably see if he was OK.
The city of Philadelphia is famously known for having to grease its poles before major sporting events in an effort to deter fans from climbing them. But unfortunately, the most persistent fans seem to see the deterrent as a challenge.
The injured fan is just one of several incidents that popped off in the city on Sunday night. Police arrested four people and issued 31 citations for disorderly conduct or failure to disperse. Among the incidents were four assaults on police officers, two shootings, and a stabbing. A woman was also charged after driving a vehicle into a crowd, injuring eight people.
Authorities are likewise investigating a video that surfaced on social media in which a man could be seen firing a gun into the air in Northeast Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said on Monday that for the most part, the city celebrated “responsibly,” but pleaded with fans to refrain from shooting firearms in celebration, particularly with the Super Bowl taking place on Feb. 9.
“If I could ask Philadelphians to do anything, you don’t want to be in a celebratory moment to have a tragedy occur,” Parker said. “You don’t want that. So please, please don’t shoot guns in the air.”
