Patriots fan dies after allegedly being 'punched in the face' by Dolphins fan during football game

A New England Patriots fan sadly lost his life during a football game after allegedly being punched in the face by a Miami Dolphins fan.

The incident unfolded at the Gillette Stadium during Sunday's Patriots game, resulting in the death of a New Hampshire father of two, 53-year-old Dale Mooney, per the New York Post.

Eyewitness Joey Kilmartin claimed that a Dolphins fan had struck Mooney in the face and rendered him unconscious. Mooney's condition was initially attributed to an "apparent medical event".

"The Dolphins fan walks over and clearly punches him in the face," Kilmartin recounted to MassLive. "[He] gets knocked out and you can tell right away he’s not OK."

He disclosed to WCVB that he witnessed Mooney approaching a group of fans on the 300-level of the stadium during the game's closing moments.

"He basically grabbed another fan," Kilmartin shared. "They started tussling around for a few minutes. At one point, another fan walked over. He punched him... and the man just went out. It was pretty hard to watch."

Tragically, Mooney never regained consciousness after the punch, despite efforts by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who administered CPR on the spot.

He was subsequently rushed to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro but was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.

"It’s an unfortunate situation. I feel bad for the family," expressed Kilmartin, who provided his account of the incident to the Foxborough police.

Kilmartin also provided video evidence of the incident to help the police in their investigation.

The incident occurred during the final moments of the Patriots game against the Dolphins. Credit: red Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire/Getty

Lisa Mooney, the decedent's wife, shared her anguish with WCVB. She mentioned that her husband, a devoted season ticket holder for 30 years and a father of two, had attended the game with three friends who later conveyed that they were subjected to "verbal taunts" from other fans during the match.

"It takes a lot to get him mad," she said. "He has the patience of a saint. I don’t know what happened."

She added that her husband had no known medical conditions, leaving her with questions about the circumstances leading to his tragic death.

"I want to know what happened," Lisa said in her interview with WCVB. "What caused this?"

Investigations into the incident are ongoing. Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty

In a statement, Gillette Stadium officials expressed their condolences. "We are heartbroken to learn of the tragic passing of Dale Mooney, a lifelong Patriots fan and 30-year season ticket member, who died while attending last Sunday night’s Patriots game," the statement began.

"We continue to work with local authorities to assist them with their ongoing investigation. We extend our sincerest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Dale’s family and to all those who are mourning his loss."

Our thoughts are with Mooney's friends and family during this difficult time.

Featured image credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty