SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A Los Angeles man has been formally charged in the assault of Oakland chef Daniel Luna, who was seriously injured in a SoFi Stadium confrontation prior to the San Francisco 49ers-Los Angeles Rams NFC Championship Game.
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced Wednesday afternoon that Bryan Alexis Cifuentes, 33, has been charged with one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury.
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“We want to continue to ensure that our sporting events are safe for everyone,” said Gascón. “We will not tolerate violent behavior at what should have been a joyous occasion for our county.”
Meanwhile, Luna’s family issued a statement Wednesday saying that the beloved chef had awaken from a medically induced coma.
“Daniel Luna is now out of a medically induced coma,” the statement read. “He remains in the hospital and is expected to be released sometime this month into rehab. He remains significantly disabled by the attack against him at SoFi Stadium, but is hoping to return to his restaurant someday and return to cooking and all his wonderful customers.”
In possession of images from stadium surveillance cameras, authorities arrested Cifuentes days after the assault. He has been released on $30,000 bail.
“From the minute and a half of video I saw, it doesn’t look like anyone else is involved,” Inglewood Mayor James Butts said when asked if he anticipated more arrests.
Bryan Alexis Cifuentes-Rossell (Inglewood Police Department)
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He later added that “the reality is this was a one shove, two shove, one punch altercation — the greatest damage was done because he (Luna) landed on the back of his head on the pavement.”
Luna was found by stadium security workers Sunday afternoon lying unconscious in the parking lot.
He was transported to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where ER staff determined that he suffered injuries they believed to be from an assault. He was placed in a medically-induced coma due to the severity of his injuries.
Luna and his wife own Mistura, a Peruvian restaurant on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. The question family and friends are asking is why and how the assault happened. Friends say there would be no reason to hurt Luna.
Logan Peters is a friend who works near Luna’s restaurant.
“I’m speechless. It’s heartbreaking. I could never have guessed it would happen to him or he would purposely do anything that would make something like that happen,” said Peters.
The 49ers released a statement saying, “What happened to Daniel Luna is reprehensible, and we strongly condemn all violence. We know local authorities are conducting a full investigation and we’re here to support them however we can. Our thoughts and prayers go to Mr. Luna, his family, friends, and the medical team providing him care.”
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The attack is similar to the 2011 beating of Bryan Stow, a San Francisco Giants fan who was attacked outside Dodgers Stadium on Opening Day more than ten years ago. He survived, but has severe brain damage.
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