It was bad enough when over-enthusiastic hockey parents were shouting at players and refs from the stands, but one hockey dad took things way too far.
Last weekend, a 42-year-old man from the Seattle area was caught on video walking onto the ice in the middle of a junior hockey game and attacking two young referees during a break in play, shoving them to the ice.
The man, who was identified as Uriel Isaac Cortez Gonzalez of Renton, Wash., was charged with two counts of assault in Seattle Municipal Court on Tuesday.
According to a report by ABC News, Gonzalez told police he was not aware “that the referee was a juvenile and said he would participate as needed for the investigation.”
Video of the incident, released by the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association (PNAHA), shows the man shoving both on-ice officials – ages 12 and 14 — causing one referee’s head to hit the ice. The boy reportedly suffered a sore hip and a stiff neck but remained conscious, police said.
Both victims were assessed on scene, fire officials confirmed to CTV, and neither required transport to hospital.
After news of the incident and the video went viral, the Seattle Kraken stepped up, inviting the young refs and their families to a game after the NHL break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Seattle Police were called to the Kraken Community Iceplex just before noon on Feb. 9 after reports that an irate parent had pushed a ref.
According to a police report obtained by ABC, the man claimed he had “acted in defence of his son” after an altercation with a player on the opposing team.
He told police that “his son was punched and kicked for about 30 seconds” and that “the referees did nothing to stop the assault.”
The outlet reports that Gonzalez left the rink before police and fire personnel arrived, but he was pulled over at a traffic light shortly after.
While he claimed that he went onto the ice “to defend his son and to break up the fight,” according to the police report and video clips circulating on social media “there was no fight at the time and the game was stopped.”
The man “walked directly towards one referee and shoved him with enough force to knock him onto his back,” the report states.
In a statement on social media, PNAHA president Jody Carpenter said the organization was investigating the incident.
“The video we are sharing is difficult to watch, but it is crucial that we confront the seriousness of what happened,” Carpenter said. “This incident serves as a stark reminder of why maintaining a safe and respectful environment in our sport is so essential.”
Carpenter added there is “absolutely no place in our sport for the kind of egregious and outrageous behavior” exhibited in the video.
“We ask all members of our hockey community to remember that respect for officials and sportsmanship are fundamental to our sport,” Carpenter said. “If we fail to uphold these standards, we fail the game itself.”