A youth soccer and flag football tournament in Mesa was cancelled after a near 100-person fight broke out on the field on Jan. 18, according to officials.
A fight between about 10 players from each team during a flag football game escalated as parents and spectators got involved, said Jose Aguirre, a spokesperson for the Mesa Police Department.
At about 1 p.m. on Jan. 18, a total of 70 officers from various departments responded to the Arizona Athletic Grounds near Legacy Avenue and Williams Field Road in Mesa, according to Aguirre.
Assisting with the crowd were 37 Mesa, 22 Gilbert, and 8 Queen Creek police officers, as well as three Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies who responded to the incident, Aguirre noted.
All of the soccer fields were cleared out within 45 minutes of officers arriving, and all remaining games were cancelled, Aguirre said.
Large fight breaks out at youth sports tournament in Arizona
