49ers fan in coma after beating outside stadium, apparently during NFC title game near L.A.
Inglewood, California — A San Francisco 49ers fan was beaten, apparently during Sunday's NFC championship game against the Los Angeles Rams and was in a medically induced coma Wednesday night, police said.
Daniel Luna, 40, remained hospitalized after he was found in a parking lot of SoFi Stadium south of Los Angeles at about 4 p.m., a half-hour into the game, Inglewood police Lieutenant Geoffrey Meeks said.
Luna was wearing a 49ers jersey, Meeks told the Los Angeles Times.
Hospital emergency room workers "believe he suffered from an assault at the stadium to his upper body and facial area," Meeks said.
Police think Luna's attacker or attackers used bodily force, but not weapons to assault him, CBS San Francisco reports.
No suspects had been identified but police and stadium security were investigating, Meeks said.
"We are relying heavily on video to try to identify the people involved," he said. "We are going to leave no stone unturned."
A stadium spokeswoman declined to comment on the case, the Times said.
In a statement to CBS San Francisco, the 49ers said, "What happened to Daniel Luna is reprehensible, and we strongly condemn all acts of violence. We know local authorities are conducting a full investigation, and we're here to support them however we can. Our thoughts and prayers go to Mr. Luna, his family, friends, and the medical team providing him care."
The Rams beat the 49ers 20-17 before a crowd of 70,000 to advance to the Super Bowl.
Luna owns a Peruvian fusion restaurant called Mistura in Oakland. He flew to Los Angeles to see the game alone after other fans who were to attend with him cancelled, Vernon Hill, a friend from Oakland, told the Times.
Meeks said there wasn't any immediate information suggesting that Luna was targeted because he was a 49ers fan.
However, Hill said he was found with his watch, phone and wallet, suggesting robbery wasn't a motive.
The incident is reminiscent of a 2011 parking lot attack that badly injured a San Francisco Giants fan after a game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Bryan Stow was left with brain damage. Two men were convicted of the attack.
