A junior baseball game went awry after a huge fight broke out between parents – over a decision made by a 13-year-old umpire.
The parents were watching their seven-year-old children play when the mass brawl was captured on video.
Police officers who were called to the scene said they were “disgusted” by the actions of the parents, who stormed the field and began punching each other.
“We were disgusted, quite frankly,” Lakewood Police spokesperson John Romero told HLN. “Baseball and seven-year-old kids, it’s the parents that need to grow up here. That’s the saddest part.”
He said the police had decided to release the video publicly to “let people know that something like this is not OK”. Several people were injured, and several others arrested for “disorderly conduct”.
Romero said some of the parents may even face child abuse charges for putting their children in danger.
“These are parents and coaches, people they’re supposed to look up to,” Romero told HLN. “People that are supposed to be mentors, and this type of thing happens.”
Officers are still seeking witnesses to the fight.