An Air Force commando plunged dozens of feet in front of tens of thousands of stunned football fans while rappelling from the rafters before the University of Texas-San Antonio’s game Saturday.
The unidentified airman struck the field at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, during a pregame military demonstration held as part of the “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” game against Navy.
Video posted to social media showed the frightening moment the service member appeared to lose control and slip down the line during a fast-rope demonstration involving four military personnel. Screams could be heard rising from the crowd.
Medical personnel rushed onto the field and treated the airman for roughly 10 minutes. UTSA staff members formed a semicircle around him before he was placed on a stretcher and removed from the field, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
The airman was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. His condition was not immediately known Sunday.
“Everybody was quiet, the band stopped performing. Everybody was dead silent,” Adrian Corey, who witnessed the fall, told KSAT.
The Post has contacted the Air Force and the San Antonio Police Department for comment.
The demonstration had been planned as part of the pregame coin toss. Saturday’s game was delayed by about 10 minutes after the accident.
The four service members involved in the demonstration belonged to Detachment 2 of the Air Force’s 6th Combat Training Squadron, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
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The unit trains air combat controllers, including in rappelling techniques used to descend from helicopters at heights of more than 100 feet.
The UTSA Roadrunners have played at the Alamodome, which is owned by the City of San Antonio, since the team’s inaugural season in 2011. The stadium’s ceiling stands roughly 170 feet high.
A crowd of 23,297 people attended Saturday’s game at the Alamodome.
UTSA officials expressed concern for the injured airman as well as those who witnessed the fall.
“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s football game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues,” a university spokesperson told the outlet.
“We recognize that members of our campus community may be emotionally affected by this incident and are activating wellbeing services to support our faculty, staff and students.”
The American Conference, which organizes the game, said it was also coordinating with local authorities.
“The American Conference is deeply saddened by tonight’s pregame incident in at the Alamodome. Our thoughts are with the individual involved, their family and colleagues, and everyone who witnessed or was affected by it,” a spokesperson said in a statement posted on X.
“We consulted with representatives of both participating member institutions, Alamodome management, local authorities and a working group to review the information available.”
“We respect the family’s privacy and will coordinate any further updates with the appropriate authorities. We are also working with our member institutions to help connect those affected with available support resources,” the statement added.
