Atlanta, GA – 60 Year Old Man ID’ed As Fan Who Died After Fall From Upper Deck At Atlanta Braves-Yankees Game

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    People clean a section of the lower seating area at Turner Field where a fan fell from the upper deck during a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, in Atlanta. The fan was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital, authorities said. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)Atlanta, GA – A fan died after falling from the upper deck into the lower-level stands at Turner Field on Saturday night during a game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.
    Gregory K. Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia
    Lt. Charles Hampton of the Atlanta Police Department homicide unit confirmed the death hours after the man fell in the seventh inning. He was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital.

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    Mary Beth Hauptle, an investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner, identified the victim as Gregory K. Murrey, 60, of Alpharetta, Georgia.

    The fall immediately followed the introduction of Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez as a pinch hitter. The game wasn’t delayed while medical personnel treated the man for about 10 minutes, applying CPR before putting him on a backboard.

    Hampton said police don’t suspect foul play at this point. He said no fans were hurt in the 200-level seats where the man fell from section 401, landing close to an area where players’ wives and families sit.

    There was blood on the concrete surface around the seats.

    This was the third fan death from a fall at Turner Field in eight seasons. In 2013, a fan’s death was ruled a suicide; in 2008, police cited alcohol as a factor after a man died.

    Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius was standing on second base, following his double, when he saw the man fall.

    “I was thinking about it the whole time,” Gregorius said after the Yankees won 3-1. “All I can say is my condolences to the family. It was right in front of the camera in the press box. He hit the wires.”

    Major League Baseball said it had been in contact with the Braves and was monitoring the situation.

    A sellout crowd of 49,243 was the largest of the season at Turner Field. The Braves are set to move into a new suburban stadium in 2017.

    Adam Staudacher and his girlfriend were returning to their seats near where the fan fell.

    Staudacher, 33, from Atlanta, said it appeared the fan landed headfirst on a 3-foot-wide walkway between sections. He estimated 20 EMTs immediately surrounded the fan and began doing CPR, adding they treated him for “five to seven minutes” before taking him away.
    Rescue workers carry an injured fan from the stands at Turner Field during a baseball game between Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, in Atlanta. The fan fell from the upper deck into the lower-level stands and was given emergency medical treatment before being taken to a hospital. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
    Staudacher said he saw no movement from the fan.

    “There were a ton of kids right there,” he said. “It was a disturbing scene. Disturbing doesn’t really go far enough.”

    Staudacher said Braves representatives came around in eighth inning to check on fans and offered them seats in suites, away from where the fan fell.

    “The Atlanta Braves offer their deepest condolences to the family,” the team said in a statement.

    MLB has said this season that it is studying the issue of fan safety in the wake of several people being hurt by foul balls and flying bats. Some players have called for more protective netting around the field.

    A fan died at Turner Field on Aug. 12, 2013, after falling 85 feet from a walkway on the fourth level of the stadium. Investigators from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office later ruled that the death of Ronald Lee Homer Jr., 30, was a suicide.

    Police said Homer, of Conyers, Georgia, landed in the players’ parking lot after a rain delay during a game between the Braves and Philadelphia.

    In 2008, Justin Hayes, 25, died after falling down a stairwell in Atlanta during a game against the Mets. Police said alcohol contributed to his fall that caused head injuries.

    Two fans died at major league games in 2011.

    In Texas, a man fell about 20 feet to the ground beyond the outfield fence trying to catch a baseball tossed his way by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Shannon Stone, 39 and a firefighter in Brownwood, Texas, was attending the Rangers game with his young son.
    People clean a section of the lower seating area at Turner Field where a fan fell from the upper deck during a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, in Atlanta. The fan was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital, authorities said. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
    Earlier that year, a 27-year-old man died after falling about 20 feet and striking his head on concrete during a Colorado Rockies home game. Witnesses told police the man was trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance.

    At Turner Field, a woman went to the Braves dugout and told catcher A.J. Pierzynski about what had occurred.

    Some family members were escorted to a room near the Braves clubhouse. Many, including Atlanta outfielder Cameron Maybin’s son, were crying.

    “None of our family guys got hurt other than there were some young children there that got to see stuff that’s not real nice,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

    A security guard at the holding room for family members said witnesses saw the man trying to hang onto a wire that runs from the protective net behind the plate to under the press box. The man then fell the rest of the way into the seats.

    The force of the man’s weight caused the wires and the mesh netting to shake for several seconds.

    “That’s terrible,” Braves pitcher Matt Wisler said. “You never want to hear something like that. We’re all in the dugout paying more attention to that than we were the game when it first happened.”

    Police blocked off about 10 rows of seats in section 201. There was security tape around the area following the game.


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    8 Comments
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    8 years ago

    People just don’t understand that life is very important and valuable but baseball is priceless and takes preference to human life. A baseball game cannot be halted even a moment in the face of human tragedy. If you respect human life that’s surely very important but a baseball game is of greater importance. Sadly, when I studied in yeshiva they did not teach us the great importance of baseball just as they never stressed the importance of knowing what is a cell and molecule. Instead they were busy teaching us values of life and purpose of living as proper Jews and how to life a life according to Halacha. But no baseball

    8 years ago

    Bizt Meshiga!

    8 years ago

    It is outrageous that the game wasn’t called. Just goes to show what money does.

    8 years ago

    At least he died doing something he enjoyed.

    8 years ago

    First of all, the railings at these baseball stadiums are not as high as they should be; unfortunately, the same problem exists on cruise ships. In many cases, the railings at both locations are only as high as one’s waist, which is not that high, to prevent falls. Secondly, the problem of alcohol being sold and consumed in great quantities at sporting events, is a shanda. I’m not saying that was the cause of the victim’s fall, in this specific case. However, alcohol does contribute to rowdy and aggressive behavior by fans. Also, after consuming great quantities of alcohol, the fans are let loose to get into their cars, and drive them on the highways. Many of them do not have designated drivers. Unfortunately, nothing will be done, since the sale of alcohol at sporting events is a large money maker, for the stadium owners, and the concession owners.