Pittsburgh cop investigated for second Cubs fan incident

Eric Horng Image
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Pittsburgh cop investigated for second Cubs fan incident
A Cubs fan at the center of a police brutality investigation in Pittsburgh is speaking out after another controversial video surfaced.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Cubs fan at the center of a police brutality investigation in Pittsburgh is speaking out after another controversial video surfaced.

It is the second time the officer's questionable actions have been caught on camera.

As the I-Team first reported on Monday, Dimitri Mitalas says he was roughed up by that officer during the Cubs wild-card victory last week.

Now, a separate video appears to show that cop celebrating while removing another Cubs fan from the stands.

The video doesn't show why the Cubs fan was booted from his seat, but as Pirates fans cheer, the uniformed officer appears to rev up the crowd before giving high-fives.

"I want to see justice be served to this guy. Obviously he's not in the right mindset to deal with the public," said Dimitri Mitalas.

Wrigleyville resident Mitalas says that same night he had a separate run-in with the same Pittsburgh police officer. Mitalas - wearing a goat hat - was slammed to the ground.

It began, Mitalas says, when late in the game he appeared on TV.

"My phone's blowing up. I've got about 60 text messages," Mitalas said. "I grab my sign, and my sign reads 'I'm over it. You can win now.' Because I'm the goat. I'm over it. Let's win. Go Cubs."

Mitalas says one Pirates fan then pelted him with a cup of chewing tobacco and spit, words were exchanged and an usher told Mitalas to leave. In the concourse, Mitalas says he tried to appeal to that cop.

"It's probably maybe five seconds from the time I say, 'Hey, can I talk to you?' to him grabbing me," Mitalas said.

In the video, Mitalas can be heard saying, "Stop it! Seriously stop it!" to which the officer appears to respond, "Or what?"

Mitalas and his attorney were already preparing legal action when that second video came to light.

"He clearly has some kind of agenda here, and there's some hostility toward the Cub fans in the park that night," said Phil Turcy, Mitalas' attorney.

Late Friday the Pittsburgh mayor's office confirmed the latest video is now in the hands of the city's office of municipal investigations, one of three agencies looking into the officer's actions.

On Friday night, Mitalas joked that he hopes the so-called billy goat curse has now been transferred to Pittsburgh.