Sunday’s Jets-Bears game has an unexpected postscript.
Via Kalyn Kahler of ESPN, former Bears linebacker Otis Wilson was involved in an altercation with multiple security officers at Soldier Field.
Wilson, a member of the legendary 1985 Bears Super Bowl championship team, reportedly boarded a media elevator. An argument ensued, resulting in conflicting allegations from Wilson and the security personnel.
Wilson claims that he and his wife were “assaulted by private security personnel.” The security company claims that Wilson “forced his way onto the elevator,” became “physically combative and violently attacked” a female officer, and “aggressively threw the female officer into a wall . . . leaving a large hole in the wall.”
Wilson said he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was treated and released. The security company claims that the female officer was also transported to a hospital with “substantial bruising and injuries to her ribs and arms.”
As Kahler explains it, multiple reporters witnessed the moments before the incident. Wilson and his wife boarded an elevator meant for the media. Wilson and his wife were asked to leave. They refused. Security personnel then tried to physically remove them.
Wilson has asked Soldier Field and the security company to “preserve all surveillance and body camera footage of the incident, to conduct a full and transparent investigation, and to hold the individuals responsible accountable.”
David Haugh of 104.3 The Score in Chicago witnessed the incident, and he discussed it during the Monday edition of his show.
“It was an ugly sight,” Haugh said. “There was a hole in the wall” where the incident occurred.
“There’s got to be a better way to expedite this whole situation,” Haugh said regarding the practice of making an elevator available only to the media, at a time when others are also trying to leave the stadium.
He’s right. And, at a minimum, there’s a point at which someone who technically shouldn’t be on the elevator should be allowed to ride it down without a fight happening. The security officers seemingly were too zealous when it came to getting Wilson and his wife out of the elevator. Wilson, based on the security company’s statement, overreacted, and it cascaded.
We’ve got a feeling that the available visual evidence will show that both sides carry blame for this one. Which could mean that Wilson and one or more security officers could be facing legal consequences, once the situation is fully sorted out.
Moving forward, and as Haugh said, there has to be a better way to ensure that the media can get to the locker room to do their work after a game, without chaos unfolding.