Denver police have identified the fan suspected of hurling a canned beverage at 18-year-old U.S. soccer prodigy Gio Reyna, injuring him at the end of the CONCACAF Nations League final against Mexico at Empower Field at Mile High over the weekend.
They gave his name as Pablo Ibarra Fuentes, 30. The incident sparked condemnations from around the sporting world, and video replays show a jarring impact that left Reyna staggering.
“If you cannot behave, and you cannot follow the basic act of normal human behavior and decency, then you should not be allowed to come to the game ever under any circumstance,” Jim Gray, a veteran sportscaster and Fox News contributor, said Tuesday afternoon. “There’s no excuse to throw anything at any player, coach, official or fans at a game.”
Officials said they banned Fuentes banned from the stadium, which is also the home of the Denver Broncos, for life.
“In addition to ejecting several individuals for violating the fan code of conduct, our security staff worked closely with the Denver Police Department to identify five people who were arrested—four for trespassing and one for throwing projectiles,” arena officials said in a statement. “The person arrested for throwing an object on the field was identified through security footage as being responsible for injuring a U.S. player. Along with facing criminal charges, this patron will be banned from all future events at Empower Field at Mile High.”
United States’ Tyler Adams, left, and Gio…
