Football Fan Accidentally Murdered for Supporting the Texas Longhorns
Often in sports there are stories that leave us excited, amazed, inspired, and even horny (if the right women’s beach volleyball players are involved). But this weekend the athletic world took an ugly turn when two college football fans tragically ended their debate with a gunshot - producing a tale that simply leaves us disheartened and searching for answers.
Early Sunday morning, after the Texas Longhorns earned a trip to the BCS National Title Game with a controversial win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, two marines stationed in North Carolina began a spirited argument about whether or not the Longhorns last-second field goal should have counted.
According to reports, as the two soldiers debated the outcome, one man accidentally discharged his firearm – which led to the death of the other.
Lionel Loya, a 23-year-old man serving in an elite Electronic Warfare Squadron, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and been released to military authorities while police further investigate the shooting.
The victim, Jonathan Clinton Rodriguez, was a 21-year-old Marine who served his country admirably for two years.
We often joke about the seriousness of sports fandom, but sometimes a story comes along that makes us wonder why something that’s supposed to bring people together also has the ability to tear us apart.
Source: Brian Bahr/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
