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Fan hit by concrete at Dodgers game claims he was discriminated against

'The first question the police asked me if I had papers ... I had to give them my visa and they took it from me'

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A New York Yankees fan who was hit by a piece of falling concrete at Dodger Stadium says that he felt “discriminated against” after the incident.

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Luis Ricardo Aquino was in his seat during a game last week between the Yankees and Dodgers in L.A. when a softball-sized chunk of concrete hit him in the back.

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The Mexico City resident said that he initially thought it had been thrown at him by a fan rival – the Yankees and Dodgers met in the World Series last year — however, it was later found to have fallen from the deck above him.

Aquino was treated at the stadium for his injuries – which he has now revealed to be a broken rib – and is now speaking out about the incident and what he claims was the initial question he was asked by first responders.

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“The first question the police asked me if I had papers, and I said, ‘Yes, I am on my visa.’ I had to give them my visa and they took it from me. I am angry because I felt discriminated against,” he told KTLA, noting he was fearful of the line of questioning.

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Aquino also explained why he refused further medical help at the time.

“The paramedics did treat me and checked my vitals, but everything seemed OK,” he said. “They asked if I wanted to go to a hospital, but this is not my country, so I did not feel comfortable.”

While this type of incident at a major league ballpark could invite lawsuits, Aquino said he agreed to not file a complaint over it – in return for some souvenirs.

After he returned to his seat following his treatment, Aquino was brought a jersey, some bracelets and a Max Muncy bobblehead. He also said that no one from the team or stadium followed up with him or offered an apology.

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The Dodgers did take action in one regard – a small section of protective netting was installed under the top deck where the piece of concrete fell from, located between home plate and first base.

In a statement to The Athletic on Saturday, the team said it “had professionals and experts at Dodger Stadium this morning to examine the facility and ensure its safety.”

The statement also said the team would be undertaking a longer-term review.

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