Philadelphia police on Monday officially ended their investigation into Flyers mascot Gritty's alleged assault against a 13-year-old boy, determining that the well-known mascot's actions "did not constitute physical assault as alleged."
The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported in January that a Flyers fan had accused Gritty — or at least, the person inside Gritty's costume — of punching his 13-year-old son at an event for season ticket holders in November. The fan, Chris Greenwell, said the person in the Gritty costume “took a running start" and “punched my son as hard as he could" after his son, Brandon, patted Gritty's head during their photo opportunity with the mascot.
Greenwell reported the incident to the police after about a month of messaging back-and-forth with Comcast Spectator, the company that owns the Flyers. Company officials reportedly told Greenwell there is no video footage of the incident because cameras in that area of the WellsFargo Center point in other directions, and that both "Gritty" and "Gritty's handler" could not confirm their account of the alleged punch.
The Flyers said in a January statement that a thorough investigation into Greenwell's allegations found nothing to support his claim, and the results of Philadelphia police's investigation seemed to determine the same.
Investigation into @GrittyNHL is over. @PhillyPolice say there was no assault @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/1w0WhZ4Csw
— Kristen Johanson (@KristenJohanson) February 3, 2020
In response to the investigation's end, the Flyers said via Dave Isaac that the organization is "pleased that the Philadelphia Police Department concluded there was no merit to the alleged claim" and said the department's statement Monday confirms the results of its own internal investigation.
Comcast Spectator officials originally offered the Greenwells an opportunity to sit on the players' bench during warm ups at a game to make up for their "bad experience," but their communication turned negative when Greenwell claimed company vice president of risk management Laurie Kleinman confirmed to him that the mascot had admitted he hit his son during a phone call in December. Kleinman later denied that conversation.
“At no time did I state that one of my colleagues hit your son," Kleinman told Greenwell on Dec. 23 via the Inquirer. “Gritty, however, recalls being hit on the head repeatedly by someone during one of the earlier photo shoots.”
Greenwall originally filed the complaint on Dec. 21.