In the middle of Tuesday night's soccer game between Mexico and Venezuela at Qualcomm Stadium, there was another match in the concourse area. A police officer vs. 27-year-old David Rangel.
Home video shows a 40 second portion of the struggle, which ends with the officer slamming the soccer fan's head into the concrete.
San Diego Police are using the video to determine whether the officer acted appropriately, but say there's plenty that goes unseen in the clip.
"Without the benefit of investigation you're not going to say whether that was wrong, right, or indifferent. You have to take into account that what you actually see is only a small snapshot of what actually occurred during that entire event," said SDPD Assistant Chief Bob Kanaski.
Outside David's Southcrest home his father, who didn't want to use his name, had a different opinion.
"It makes me mad because this is discrimination because he's not resisting anymore," he said.
The blow to the ground left David with five stitches, according to his dad. But he was also arrested on charges of battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, and being drunk in public.
Investigators say David was throwing things during the game at other fans and elite security guards. They say he resisted arrest as the uniformed officers were eventually called in.
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"The actual fight or disturbance started well before the video took place. What you saw was the end result of the arrest," said Asst. Chief Kanaski.
Rangel is planning to find an attorney to bring charges against the department, according to his father.
