Philly not first to Taser a fan

The Tasering of a Phillies fan last night raises the question: Was this a first?

It may have set a precedent for Citizens Bank Park, and even for a fan running on the field, but it's not the first time a fan has been Tasered at a game.

Apparently, it's happened at least several times before.

In January, before an NFL playoff game, Indianapolis police zapped Jets fan Patrick Mallon, 26, outside the stadium. Allegedly, he was verbally abusive and threw beer at other tailgaters.

"Cops grabbed the construction worker, threw him against their patrol car, punched him in the back of the head and then Tasered him, the witnesses said," according to the New York Post.

In August, Oakland police Tasered a fan in the stands - at least twice.

Thomas Bruso, 62, wasn't running away or throwing punches. He was sitting, waving his arms, as seen on a video shot by a fan.

Ushers tried to eject Bruso for sneaking in alcohol, swearing and being belligerent, but he refused to leave, according to ABC7 in San Francisco.

Three officers arrived.

"You can see here that the individual is really agitated," Officer Jeff Thomason said, reviewing the video. "He's not picking up his belongings that are here on this seat, he's not getting out of this seat. He's not complying with the officer's orders."

Oakland police use Tasers about 250 times a year, but had never used one at an A's game before, ABC7 reported.

Bruso was taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

But that probably wasn't historic either.

In October 2008, a couple of Red Sox fans were Tasered in the stands in Tampa. The month before, an officer put a Taser to the head of a Sox fan, but didn't fire. But during the American League Championship Series, videos of two incidents apparently show officers subduing fans with Tasers. (See www.bustedcoverage.com/?p=8019.)

Tasering, like players, may have started in the minor leagues before going to majors.

A brawl in the stands at a New England Stars hockey game in April 2007 "resulted in five arrests for breach of peace, three injured Danbury [Conn.] police officers, one 375-pound fan being subdued with a Taser and a promise by Mayor Mark Boughton that there would be a stronger police presence at the Stars' next home game," according to the Danbury News-Times.

Tasered fan Mike Bernardi, 32, said the experience wasn't painful. "Sort of like putting jumper cables on your ears," he told the newspaper.