MIAMI, FL - Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed outrage in a presser alongside Chief Public Safety Officer James Reyes following a security failure that resulted in a stampede of fans flooding the Hard Rock Stadium Sunday night during the Copa America Soccer final between Argentina and Colombia. Twenty-seven people were reportedly arrested, and eleven of them were illegal immigrants.
According to USA Today, a joint statement from Mayor Cava and Chief Reyes read in part, "We are outraged by the unprecedented events at tonight's Copa America finals. The Copa America final is organized by Conmebol and Miami-Dade Police Department provides security support along with other law enforcement agencies. Tonight, MDPD assigned 550 officers to the stadium, including our Priority Response Team."
They added, "In addition, MDPD brought in more personnel from more jurisdictions to support everyone's safety and wellbeing," observing "Let's be clear: This situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again."
The New York Post reported Tuesday that when soccer fans forced the stadium gates open, they caused a delay of game of more than 75 minutes with people jumping turnstiles, overturning barricades, and even crawling through air vents to get in.
Two Columbian nationals Luis Beltran Martinez and Elkin Mayorga were arrested and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and trespassing, with Mayorga also facing charges for disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer with violence. The latter notably entered the U.S. illegally via Yuma, Arizona on March 24, 2022, the Post wrote, citing internal Homeland Security documents, and was released with a tracking device according to current DHS policy under the Biden Administration.
A third illegal immigrant, Argemiro Rodriguez, also from Colombia, was arrested at the Copa America after crossing illegally into the U.S. in Arizona. He was reportedly released by ICE because he is overweight. Two more illegal immigrants from Colombia entered via Texas and California respectively per ICE documentation.
Eight hundred officers worked for over an hour to regain control of the situation after the gates were breached, a melee ensued, and the stadium was heavily damaged.
Chief Reyes said in a statement published by the Post, "Last night our law enforcement teams responded swiftly to handle an extremely challenging, dangerous situation posing life safety concerns for attendees. I am grateful to every single member of MDPD Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation as well as our partner agencies for working together to keep fans and our community safe, preventing any major incidents."
A statement from a Hard Rock Stadium spokesman to USA Today explained, "In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter. There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter. Law enforcement and security personnel were immediately deployed throughout the stadium and surrounding area to keep fans as safe as possible in light of this unprecedented situation."
According to USA Today, a joint statement from Mayor Cava and Chief Reyes read in part, "We are outraged by the unprecedented events at tonight's Copa America finals. The Copa America final is organized by Conmebol and Miami-Dade Police Department provides security support along with other law enforcement agencies. Tonight, MDPD assigned 550 officers to the stadium, including our Priority Response Team."
What happened today at the stadium in Miami at the Copa America soccer final is a total disgrace.
— Auden B. Cabello (@CabelloAuden) July 15, 2024
What’s happened can be linked directly to the millions that have entered this country illegally.
pic.twitter.com/ZkyacZncNf
They added, "In addition, MDPD brought in more personnel from more jurisdictions to support everyone's safety and wellbeing," observing "Let's be clear: This situation should never have taken place and cannot happen again."
The New York Post reported Tuesday that when soccer fans forced the stadium gates open, they caused a delay of game of more than 75 minutes with people jumping turnstiles, overturning barricades, and even crawling through air vents to get in.
Two Columbian nationals Luis Beltran Martinez and Elkin Mayorga were arrested and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and trespassing, with Mayorga also facing charges for disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer with violence. The latter notably entered the U.S. illegally via Yuma, Arizona on March 24, 2022, the Post wrote, citing internal Homeland Security documents, and was released with a tracking device according to current DHS policy under the Biden Administration.
COPA AMERICA FINAL KICKOFF DELAYED UNTIL 8:30PM ET
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) July 14, 2024
Poor crowd control and lack of security has caused complete chaos at Hard Rock Stadium, causing police to close the gates. Fans have paid more than $1,000/ticket, and this is what #CopaAmerica delivers?!pic.twitter.com/ydYARCOd5o
A third illegal immigrant, Argemiro Rodriguez, also from Colombia, was arrested at the Copa America after crossing illegally into the U.S. in Arizona. He was reportedly released by ICE because he is overweight. Two more illegal immigrants from Colombia entered via Texas and California respectively per ICE documentation.
Eight hundred officers worked for over an hour to regain control of the situation after the gates were breached, a melee ensued, and the stadium was heavily damaged.
Shocking. Copa America Final #copaamerica #colombia #argentina #futbol #soccer #CopaAmerica #argentinavscolombia #CopaAmerica2024 #CopaAmericaFINAL #copaamericafinals #CopaAmericafinal2024 #FootballFinal pic.twitter.com/9NRBVr7tlk
— Rapid News Digest (@RapidNewsDigest) July 15, 2024
Chief Reyes said in a statement published by the Post, "Last night our law enforcement teams responded swiftly to handle an extremely challenging, dangerous situation posing life safety concerns for attendees. I am grateful to every single member of MDPD Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation as well as our partner agencies for working together to keep fans and our community safe, preventing any major incidents."
A statement from a Hard Rock Stadium spokesman to USA Today explained, "In collaboration with CONMEBOL and law enforcement officers, the decision was made to open the stadium gates for a short period of time to all fans in order to prevent stampedes and serious injury at the perimeter. There was serious concern of fans being crushed in an attempt to enter. Law enforcement and security personnel were immediately deployed throughout the stadium and surrounding area to keep fans as safe as possible in light of this unprecedented situation."
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Comments
2024-07-18T14:26-0400 | Comment by: thomas
What happened to having a ticket to get in lolol