A brave Air Force commando is dead. He fell from the roof of the Alamodome during a pregame show. The stunt went horribly wrong.
The service member was part of a fast-rope demo for the “Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans” game. He slipped while rappelling down the rope. He plunged 170 feet to the ground in front of thousands of fans.
Detachment 2 of the 6th Combat Training Squadron received the airman’s assignment. Four service members were on the rope. He lost control and slid down the line. Videos shared on social media show the terrifying fall. Fans in the crowd could be heard screaming.
The Scene at the Dome
Medical teams rushed onto the field immediately. They treated the airman for about 10 minutes. UTSA staff formed a semicircle around him. He was then carried away on a stretcher to a local hospital.
The game was delayed for roughly 10 minutes. The crowd of 23,297 people watched in shock. Adrian Corey, who saw the fall, told KSAT: “Everybody was quiet, the band stopped performing. Everybody was dead silent.”
His condition was not clear right after the event. Sadly, he died at the hospital. For additional details, the Post contacted the Air Force and San Antonio Police.
Official Responses
UTSA officials spoke out quickly about the tragedy. “Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues,” a university spokesperson told the New York Post.
The school is now helping those who saw the fall. “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 statement continued.
The American Conference, which organizes the game, is also helping. “We consulted with representatives of both participating member institutions, Alamodome management, local authorities and a working group to review the information available,” said a spokesperson.
The Cost of Service
This unit trains air combat controllers for high-altitude jumps. They practice techniques to drop from helicopters over 100 feet up. The Alamodome ceiling stands at roughly 170 feet. The team was there to honor the troops before the Navy game.
UTSA has played at this stadium since 2011. The city of San Antonio owns the building. The team and the conference are now working with local authorities. They will share updates as they learn more.
“We respect the family’s privacy and will coordinate any further updates with the appropriate authorities,” the American Conference stated.
