A member of the US Air Force died on Saturday, October 17, after falling while rappelling from the rafters of the Alamodome in front of over 20,000 spectators. The incident occurred before the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) football team played Navy during the annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans night.
As part of a pregame ceremony, four service members were scheduled to abseil to the field 15 minutes before kickoff. The deceased was identified by the Air Force as Tech.Sgt.
Ian Patterson, a Tactical Air Control Party instructor. Patterson, a native of Fort Stewart, Georgia, had served 15 years and was named the Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year in 2022.
Multiple reports suggest the officer lost control while descending, sliding down the line and hitting the ground. While the game was delayed by 10 minutes, it proceeded as scheduled.
The American Conference stated on Sunday, October 18, that the decision to continue was made before the service member's condition was publicly confirmed. An investigation into the cause of the fall is underway by local authorities and military officials.
Further details regarding safety protocols will be released once the inquiry concludes.