Charges unlikely in man's death after Heinz Field altercation

PITTSBURGH — Charges are unlikely in the case of a Baldwin man who was found dead in his home after he was involved in an altercation following a Steelers game at Heinz Field, Channel 11’s Rick Earle has learned.

Pittsburgh police said the man, identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office as 44-year-old William Laughlin, sustained a head injury during the Nov. 14 incident as he was leaving the stadium. Witnesses told Channel 11 News that Laughlin -- a Steelers fan -- was fighting with a Cowboys fan.

"It's shocking because Pittsburgh is known to be a very friendly city and, like, I've never heard of anything like that happening in the stadium," Pittsburgh resident Stepan Gusak said.

Earle reported Wednesday that police sources told him that the altercation was more of a shoving match between as many as five fans and that several people fell to the ground, including Laughlin, who apparently hit his head on either a concrete wall or the ground.

Sources told Earle that authorities have identified a man they believe was involved in the altercation, but they do not plan on filing charges at this point because there does not appear to have been an assault.

Police sources said that after the incident at the stadium, Laughlin went out drinking before returning to his Baldwin home and going to sleep. He never woke up, found dead the next morning.

"I can't believe someone got into a fight at a football game that caused them to die. That's awful," Tom Jackson, of Pittsburgh, said.

Neighbors in Baldwin were shocked to learn that Laughlin, a married father of three children, was involved in an altercation, and said he and his family mostly kept to themselves.

Detectives from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Major Crimes Unit are investigating Laughlin's death. Autopsy results from the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office have not yet been released.

There was a second incident at Heinz Field on the same day as the altercation involving Laughlin. Police said a man, 57, was assaulted on a ramp after getting into a verbal altercation. He was taken to a hospital.

Cox Media Group