BASKET-BRAWL

Man Dies After Wild Brawl at Vermont Middle School Basketball Game

A 60-year-old man was pronounced dead after what police called a “large fight involving multiple spectators” at the seventh- and eighth-graders’ game.

A 60-year-old man died after a scrap broke out among crowd members at a basketball game between rival middle schools in Vermont on Tuesday, authorities said. The brawl occurred shortly before 7 p.m. at the Alburgh Community Education Center, with officers responding to a report of a “large fight involving multiple spectators,” according to a release from the Vermont State Police. It was unclear what sparked the brawl at the seventh- and eighth-graders’ game, with footage of the incident showing a number of adults rushing the court to trade blows. Several people, including the victim, identified by police as Russell Giroux of Alburgh, left the school immediately after the fight. Giroux later sought medical attention and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. His death is under active investigation. Both middle schools involved in the game released statements on the matter, with Alburgh school officials saying the community had been “shocked and saddened” by Giroux’s death.