Cops say Tommy Hawk attacked at UC; video shows mascot land punches too
ByMadeline Kenney @madkenney | email
Things went from bad to worse for the Blackhawks during their 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
Tommy Hawk was attacked by a fan on the United Center concourse on Friday, authorities say, in a video-recorded encounter that has made waves on social media.
Chicago police confirmed they were notified of a disturbance at the United Center around 11:15 p.m. Friday. Police said a “male was performing as a team mascot” when another man began punching him in the face and put him in a headlock.
The alleged attacker was described as a white man between 18 and 20, about 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds. No one was in custody as of Saturday night.
But the police narrative doesn’t necessarily match the scene caught on video, which was widely circulated online.
In a series of Snapchat videos which were shared on Twitter, Tommy Hawk is seen pushing the man and landing a few jabs of his own.
“Watch out for the kid,” the man says as the Hawks mascot picks him up and slams him onto the ground.
Once the man is on the floor, the Hawks mascot leans over him and throws several punches, with the man appearing to fight back to some degree. In the final segment of the video, Tommy Hawk pushes the man away from him.
A Hawks spokesman said team officials were aware of the incident and looking into it on Saturday.
“We are gathering the facts and will have no further comment at this time, pending our investigation,” he said.
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