[JRutledge]

Here is another article on this story. It gives a little more detail.

/sports/highschool/cs-050314prepfight,1,3297803.story?coll=cs-highschool-headlines

Brawl erupts at United Center
At least 1 injured as fight breaks out in stadium hallway
By Tom Rybarczyk
Tribune staff reporter

March 15, 2005, 10:54 AM CST

At least three people were hurt when a brawl involving about 200 people broke out Monday night during a post-season high school basketball game at the United Center, Chicago police said.

No arrests were reported, but one "person of interest" was being questioned by police this morning, according to police spokeswoman Amina Greer.

Witnesses said the fight began in the hallway of the United Center about 8:30 p.m. during the Class AA boys' supersectional game between Thornton and Homewood-Flossmoor.

Dozens of people were involved in the fight, many of them kicking and punching each other, witnesses said. It took at least 10 to 15 minutes for police to break up the fight.

"Well, it was just a fight," said a security guard, who declined to give his name. "Some teenagers started fighting, and we tried to break it up."

Several police officers responded to the scene and surrounded the area to make sure the fight did not spill outside, police spokesman Robert Cargie said.

One person, whose age and gender were not known, suffered blunt trauma and was taken to Stroger Hospital, Cargie said. The person's condition was not known.

Witnesses said the fight was between gang members, but police were unable to confirm that, Cargie said.

One police sergeant suffered a heart attack while helping break up the fight and was taken to Rush University Medical Center in good condition, Cargie said.

"He collapsed after the fight," the security guard said.

Tribune staff reporter Nancy Ryan and WGN-Ch. 9 contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune