Report: Confrontations Between Fans at Hartford Athletic Match

The game against Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Trinity Health Stadium was abandoned due to allegations of a "racially offensive" remark by a visiting player.

Further controversy has emerged following the abandoned match between Hartford Athletic and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday night. Reports from eyewitnesses present at Trinity Health Stadium indicated to The Blazing Musket that a group of Pittsburgh fans was involved in two confrontations with Hartford fans, one of which turned physical.

The first incident occurred following the second Pittsburgh goal. According to an eyewitness, an individual wearing a Pittsburgh jersey came along the East Stand to the supporters section, and initiated a confrontation with some Hartford fans. At first, the confrontation was verbal, but according to the same eyewitness, there was subsequently some pushing and shoving between the Pittsburgh fan and a Hartford fan, and they were separated by security staff.

Later, after the match had been abandoned, a group of Pittsburgh fans — including the individual who had previously entered the Hartford supporters section — were involved in a second confrontation as they were leaving the stadium. Words were exchanged, and an eyewitness reported that at this point, someone among the Hartford fans informed the Pittsburgh supporters that the game was being abandoned due to a racist comment made by a Pittsburgh player, prompting one of the Pittsburgh supporters to say “my son wouldn’t do that.”

It’s unclear which player they were referring to, but according to witnesses, at least one member of the group was wearing a jersey bearing the name Griffin and the number two, which is worn by current Pittsburgh player Danny Griffin. Griffin was involved in an exchange with Hartford midfielder Marlon Hairston, immediately prior to Hairston engaging in a long conversation with referee Greg Dopka, which ultimately led to the match being abandoned. Griffin also attended Wethersfield High School, and it’s believed that he had family members in attendance at Saturday’s game.

After the game, it appeared that Griffin was one of several Pittsburgh players who did not board the team bus. Operations staff and stadium security were also observed urging those players to depart quickly, and at least one player was escorted in the direction of Lot 2, directly across the Huyshope Avenue from Trinity Health Stadium.

At time of publication, Hartford Athletic had not responded to a request for comment regarding any altercations between fans that took place in the stadium.