In Pokémon GO, players can earn in-game currency by taking over gyms. Such a fight escalated in 2018 in the USA, in the city of St. Louis. It turned physical. Now one of the perpetrators is facing prison time.
Who is involved? A jury in the USA recommended prison time for a 75-year-old Pokémon GO player. In addition, he and his son are to pay a fine.
A fight over a gym in Pokémon GO, which was supposed to be settled in-game with Pokémon, turned into a real-life altercation.
Three people fought in the water; bystanders had to intervene
Here’s how it happened: In 2018, Robert Matteuzzi (75) and his son Angelo (35) wanted to take over a gym in Kirkwood Park (St. Louis, Missouri) together. But a member of a rival team, known as “Sammy the Bull”, also attempted to seize the gym.
According to the victim’s testimony, a dispute arose over the gym between the trainers, leading Angelo Matteuzzi to strike him. This was reported by St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
When you have Pokémon in captured gyms, you earn PokéCoins. With the coins, you can buy interesting items in the in-game shop, such as raid passes, incubators, and other content.
The situation at the gym in St. Louis escalated into a bigger scuffle, leading the victim and Angelo Matteuzzi to fall into a roughly 1.5-meter deep lake. One of the bystanders filmed this. The video was shown to the police in court. In the video, you can see the two Matteuzzis repeatedly striking the victim and holding him underwater.
On the audio track of the video, you can hear a person outside shouting “Break it up right now!”, while a younger voice shouts “Dad, don’t interfere!” The fight was then ended by the bystander who separated the parties.
According to witness statements, the victim sustained abrasions on his face, a traumatic eye injury, a broken fingertip, and a detached fingernail.
That was the trial: The defense argued that the two Matteuzzis did not start the fight. Robert testified: He didn’t want to be in the water at all.
When the prosecution reminded him that he jumped into the water to his son, he said: “When you are 71 years old and get hit on the head, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
On the witness stand, the father admitted to holding the victim’s head underwater: “I just wanted to submerge him.”
The son stated in court: “I just wanted to take my Pokémon to the gym.” The fight actually occurred on Father’s Day, which he now knows is not a good day to fight anyone.
Further witnesses testified in court, who were on the victim’s Pokémon team: a police officer and a paramedic. They had stopped the fight at the time.
Another family member of the Matteuzzis testified for the father-son duo and spoke of a previous incident between the two Pokémon teams.
Although the incident occurred in 2018, the sentencing recommended by the jury was only announced on October 26. They recommended three days in prison for Robert and a fine for both Matteuzzis.
The passion for the mobile game knows no bounds for many people. 2 police officers were fired because of their love for Pokémon GO.
