The fall

Four military service members were scheduled to perform a rappelling demonstration from the roof of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, 17 October, shortly before the UTSA Roadrunners hosted the Navy Midshipmen in a game honouring the armed forces and veterans. Video posted on social media shows one of them losing control of his descent and dropping quickly, feet first, to the ground. Sources put the fall at roughly 50 metres, and it happened in front of about 23,000 spectators while a band was assembled on the field. Medics treated him on the pitch for several minutes before he was carried away on a gurney and taken to hospital in critical condition.

Identification

The Air Force issued a statement on Sunday, 18 October, naming the man as Tech Sgt Ian Patterson, a tactical air control party instructor in the 6th combat training squadron, detachment two, at Joint Base San Antonio. Patterson, of Fort Stewart, Georgia, had served for 15 years and was named the Air Force special warfare enlisted instructor of the year at headquarters level in 2022. Reports differ on the timing of his death, with some saying he died within hours of the fall and others saying it came the following day. Brig Gen Scott C Mills, commander of the 57th wing, was quoted in a statement attributed to him by the service:

“Tech Sgt Patterson and his service mattered immensely to our wing, and to the family, friends, and teammates who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him.”

Game and response

Pregame animations were cancelled, and kickoff was pushed back by about 10 minutes before the game went ahead. After the match, UTSA offered counselling contacts to students and said in a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight's game.”

The American Conference said in a statement on Sunday that the decision to play on had been taken before the soldier's health status was publicly confirmed. Organisers said they wanted to respect the military's procedure for informing the family and to prevent unverified reports from spreading. Spectator Adrian Corey, quoted by the San Antonio station KSAT, described a man falling to the ground as soon as the band began to play.

Investigation

An investigation has been opened into the circumstances of the fall. According to one report, four officers were due to descend to the field about 15 minutes before kickoff, and one of them lost control on the way down. The Air Force said the rappelling team consists of specialists who embed with Army and Marine units and help direct air and artillery strikes from forward ground positions. Patterson was among the four service members scheduled to take part in the demonstration.