DA: Autopsy shows no sign of traumatic injury in death of Patriots fan

A new twist into the death of New England Patriots fan Dale Mooney.

The autopsy of the 53-year-old New Hampshire father of two who died after an “incident” in the stands during Sunday’s game against the Dolphins does not suggest a fatal traumatic injury, the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office said Wednesday.

The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the DA’s office says their investigation into Dale Mooney’s death included a video examination of a “scuffle” he was involved in prior to collapsing.

While the autopsy did not suggest a traumatic injury, it did identify a medical issue, the DA says.

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The exact cause and manner of death is still under investigation.

Mooney’s wife, Lisa, told Boston 25 News that her husband was a lifelong fan of the Patriots who had been a season-ticket holder for 30 years. She also described him as a “good dad” to their two adult sons.

Lisa Mooney says her husband traveled to Foxborough from their home and attended the Patriots-Dolphins game with friends. She says she was told that her husband was being taunted by several Dolphins fans during the game, leading up to an alleged physical altercation in the 300s section of the stadium.

Video sent to Boston 25 News shows stadium security moving in to break up an apparent scuffle before Mooney lost consciousness.

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“It looked like people grabbing and pulling at each other at first at some point in the guy in the Dolphins jersey punched the victim twice in the face and that’s when the victim fell into his seat unconsciousness,” said Joey Kilmartin, a witness.

Kilmartin recorded the commotion happening four rows behind him and shared it with investigators right after it happened.

“The guy in the Dolphins jersey got hauled away by police and that’s when everybody noticed something was wrong a minute or so later the guy still hadn’t made any movement it really didn’t look like he was breathing,” said Kilmartin.

What happened to Dale Mooney is bringing the issue of fan safety into the spotlight.

It turns out the Patriots have a fan code of conduct,

If a fan is in violation and thrown out of the stadium, he must take a class to ever be allowed back in.

The Patriot Fan Code of Conduct prohibits disruptive behavior, offensive language, and instigating, inciting, or encouraging a confrontation or physical contact.

Fans in violation who are ejected from Gillette for violating the code must complete a four-hour Code of Conduct Class at a cost of $250 dollars if they want to re-enter Gillette or Patriot Place.

In the meantime, as the investigation continues, a GoFundMe account has been set up for Dale Mooney’s family.