Officers being investigated after deadly tear gas disaster at Indonesian soccer game
Police in Indonesia are investigating officers who fired tear gas into the crowd at a soccer game over the weekend, which led to a massive stampede that killed at least 125 fans, ESPN reported on Monday morning.
National Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said in a news conference that 18 officers are being investigated, ESPN said. The Associated Press has called the tragic incident "among the deadliest disasters ever at a sporting event."
According to the AP, the investigation is focused on crowd control measures taken at Kanjuruhan Stadium for the match between host Arema FC of East Java’s Malang city and Persebaya Surabaya.
Fans for the visiting team were already banned from attending the game because there is a history of violent outbreaks among fans. The violence began with fans began throwing bottles and other objects at players and officials on the pitch after the home team lost 3-2.
Witnesses said fans then flooded the pitch and also toppled police vehicles outside of the stadium. Officers responded by shooting tear gas into the crowd, which caused a massive panic. According to the New York Times, there were only two open exits from the stadium and many of the fatalities were caused by fans being trampled.
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