What prompted stadium assault?

Police seek a motive in the parking lot beating after Angels game.

Anaheim police said Monday they were trying to determine what prompted an attack on a former LAPD officer in the parking lot of Angel Stadium after Friday’s playoff game.

The 43- year- old man, who was hospitalized, was not identified by authorities, but Los Angeles police officials confirmed Monday that he left the department in 2012. The LAPD declined to comment further.

KTLA- TV Channel 5, citing neighbors of the victim, identified him as Alex Arredondo.

The victim’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious but stable, Anaheim police Lt. Bob Dunn said Monday.

Dunn said investigators had spoken to a few witnesses to the attack, including a relative who was with the victim, but that the motive remained unclear. Dunn said therewas no initial indication that the assault stemmed from team rivalries.

“There’s no information so far in our investigation that says this started inside and continued outside,” Dunn said. “The almost direct quote from the relative was ‘ I have no idea how this happened.’”

The beating occurred about10: 30 p. m. Friday, after the Kansas City Royals defeated the Angels, 4- 1. A witness flagged down an Anaheim police officer, and paramedics took the victim to a hospital.

Investigators, Dunn said, believe three men were involved in the assault, but police had no additional information about them.

Dunn said investigators would continue to explore any and all motives for the attack. Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to call Orange County Crime Stoppers at ( 855) TIPOCCS.

The attack wasn’t the first after an Angels game. On opening day in 2009, a Buena Park man died after a fight in the right- field pavilion during the game. Police said Brian Powers, 27, was fighting with a man in a stairwell when he was punched in the head, felland struck his head on a concrete step.

Two years later, San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow suffered a beating in the Dodger Stadium parking lot that left the 45- yearold paramedic with a severe brain injury. Two men were convicted this year in that assault.

A civil jury also awarded Stow nearly $ 18 million after finding that the Dodgers shared responsibility for the attack.

Anaheim police deployed increased patrols Friday, which is routine for playoff games, Dunn said.

“We take any incident that happens in our venues or near our venues very seriously,” he said.

Tim Mead, vice president of communications for the Angels, said the organization was cooperating with Anaheim police and would continue to do so. The team hoped for a “speedy and complete recovery for the individual involved,” he said.

Team officials constantly evaluate stadium security “every game, whether we have an incident or not,” Mead added.

“It’s one of our focal points, our fan experience, and we take a great deal of time and effort to provide the best environment possible,” he said.