The New England Patriots have had a troublesome 2023-24 NFL season. The Patriots are 3-11 and are in last place in the AFC East. New England received unfortunate news of a fan tragedy from a scuffle in September. Dale Mooney, 53, died in a fight at Gillette Stadium. Now, a coroner has ruled his death a homicide, and the two men involved in the fight with Mooney are being held accountable.

Men involved in Patriots fan's death get arrested and charged several months later

Prosecutors could have charged John Veria, 59, and Justin Mitchell, 39, with homicide after Dale Mooney's death. However, the two men were charged with assault and battery as well as disorderly conduct, per The Athletic.

Mooney was a season ticket holder from New Hampshire who got into an altercation during the Patriots-Dolphins game on September 17th. He confronted a Miami fan during the game when the situation turned violent. Mooney collapsed after he received critical blows during the scuffle. He was later found in need of attention and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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Veria and Mitchell will be arraigned on their charges in Wrentham District Court in January. Gillette Stadium officials have gone on the record saying they were heartbroken by Mooney's death. Hopefully, no other incident like this will take place at the Patriots' stadium.

Sporting events, especially NFL football games can be competitive, but it is unfortunate to see violence break out. Hopefully, situations like Mooney's can be avoided. The situation is a reminder that fans must stay respectful and have boundaries during events.