Medical facility officials not sure they’ll allow tailgaters after huge brawl before UTEP-Texas Tech game

A huge fight in the Las Palmas LifeCare Center parking lot on North Mesa before the Sept. 6 UTEP-Texas Tech game has caused officials with the facility to rethink allowing tailgating.

“Las Palmas LifeCare Center rents a property on North Mesa Street and has allowed UTEP fans and visiting fans to use the parking lot on game days for more than 12 years without incident. During events, El Paso Youth Rugby Foundation manages parking and hires two constables to patrol the area during use. Patient safety is a priority, which is why tailgating activities are not allowed during business hours of the LifeCare Center. We are disappointed in the events that transpired, and as a result of the serious incident before Saturday’s game, we are assessing public access to this space on game days,” said Melissa Offutt, Administrative Director, Marketing & Communications with Las Palmas Medical Center.

One tailgater involved in the fight who spoke to ABC-7 on the condition of anonymity.

“I ran in and saw some guy on the floor. I tried to get some people off of him and I guess I ended up tackling some guy and when I tried to get up, I was attacked, also. And then that’s when more people got involved,” he told ABC-7 Monday.

While he said he didn’t know what started the fight, other tailgaters told ABC-7 they saw UTEP fans approach Texas Tech fans tailgating in the Las Palmas parking lot and make derogatory comments, which led to a physical confrontation.

“We don’t know who was on which side,” he said. “We just saw people throwing punches and it just got really crazy.”

An El Paso Police spokesman confirmed to ABC-7 that a police report was filed regarding the fight.

Police said that one person was taken to the hospital for injuries to his face and two others not involved in the fight were arrested.

The investigation continues.

Meanwhile, the tailgater who had stepped in wondered where security was when things got out of control.

“If they could have one off-duty cop or a show of force,” he said. “Just someone of authority.”

The El Paso Youth Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is the organization that collaborates with Las Palmas to collect $10 entrance fees from each car on event nights.

EPYSF’s Delbert Arnold told ABC-7 over the phone Monday he was concerned this negative experience may ultimately cost his group $800-$900 a week in funds if Las Palmas discontinues use of its lot for tailgating. He said collecting the parking fees is one of the best fundraisers his organization hosts.

Arnold said his group isn’t in charge of hiring security, referring ABC-7 to Ernie Gluck, the owner of the neighboring Rudolph Plaza shopping center. Gluck told ABC-7 over the phone he always hires two constables to patrol the lot, with their focus primarily on preventing vandalism of vehicles. Gluck said the evening of the fight, the two officers were diverted to a rock-throwing incident behind the neighboring shopping center minutes before the fight broke out, calling the timing “a perfect storm.”

Gluck told ABC-7 he plans to staff two constables both at the Las Palmas lot as well as the Rudolph Plaza lot before Saturday’s UTEP-NMSU game, with an additional constable on hand after the game.

Gluck and Arnold both told ABC-7 that even though security measures were in place, they didn’t believe that the fight could have been prevented had more constables been on hand. They said they think the constables would have been overwhelmed by the size and intensity of the crowd.