Police charge 2 men with assault, disorderly conduct after Patriots fan’s death at Gillette Stadium

A pair of men were arrested and charged in connection with the death of a fan at a New England Patriots game earlier this season, according to The Associated Press.

John Vieira, 59, and Justin Mitchell, 39, were arrested earlier this month and charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct. Officials said that the two men, who are from Warwick, Rhode Island, punched Dale Mooney at the Patriots’ 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 17.

Mooney was in the 300-level seating area at Gillette Stadium for that "Sunday Night Football" matchup when he had an apparent “medical event” after an altercation broke out. Officials said that Mooney was struck during the altercation, and was later taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Mooney was 53.

Mooney’s wife, Lisa, told Boston’s ABC6 that he was being provoked by other fans during the game, which led to the fight. She said that he was a longtime Patriots fan who had been going to Gillette Stadium for years, and that he had “the patience of a saint.” It's unclear specifically what sparked the incident.

According to The Associated Press, the death was officially ruled a homicide. The cause of death was determined as "probable cardiac dysrhythmia in a person with severe hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease during a physical altercation."

Criminal complaints filed earlier this month said that both Vieira and Mitchell “did assault and beat Dale Mooney” at the game. While the death was called a homicide, prosecutors said there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Viera and Mitchell with his death — which is what led them to the assault and disorderly conduct charges.

Both men are due in court next in January.