A College of Las Vegas pupil died from mind accidents after he fought at a fraternity-sponsored “Combat Membership” type occasion, reviews stated.
Junior Nathan Valencia, 20, collapsed shortly after he duked it out in a boxing match on the “Kappa Sigma Combat Evening,” on Nov. 19. He died 4 days later, his household told KLAS.
According to an Instagram flyer posted weeks earlier than the occasion by the fraternity, Valencia fought on the “foremost card” of the night time’s 9 complete bouts. Proceeds had been to assist Middle Ring Boxing in Las Vegas.
Joe Castro, who advised the outlet he’s a longtime pal of Valencia’s, stated he witnessed the boxing match on the Sahara Occasion Middle in Las Vegas, describing it “like an underground combat membership.”
Castro stated Valencia had no boxing expertise, however determined to get within the ring anyway. In some unspecified time in the future throughout the combat, he collapsed and a brawl ensued.
“I noticed no medical, no docs, nothing,” Castro stated, backing up the household’s claims that security precautions had been tragically missed.
A boxing official advised the outlet the referee didn’t seem skilled, permitting the combat to proceed as the gang cheered and Valencia took blow after blow to the top.
“To lose somebody so valuable like that, it’s exhausting,” Valencia’s highschool pal Xavier De La Rosa advised the outlet. “It ought to have been finished accurately. It shouldn’t have been missed.”
In a press release on Friday, Valencia’s household stated it might be conducting an investigation to find out how UNLV and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity might permit and promote an occasion like this to happen.
“School college students shouldn’t be positioned in a state of affairs the place they’re pitted towards one another for fight. “Kappa Sigma Combat Evening” is an occasion that has been held yearly and was well-known to each UNLV and the nationwide Kappa Sigma Fraternity, reviews stated.
“We’ll depart no stone unturned to find out how a 20-year-old ended up in a school-sanctioned novice combat that value him his life. The household has requested for privateness throughout this time to grieve.”
The Kappa Sigma Fraternity supplied “ideas and prayers” to the Valencia household and the higher UNLV group, in a press release supplied to KLAS.
UNLV president Keith Whitfield emailed the UNLV group on Friday, during which he distanced the college from, calling it “an off-campus occasion meant to boost cash.”
“Dealing with the lack of life is at all times troublesome, particularly beneath these circumstances,” Whitfield wrote. “UNLV is committing all accessible assets to evaluation the incident and decide how off-campus occasions like these might be as protected as potential.”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Division is investigating the incident.
Valencia’s household has launched a GoFundMe to assist cowl medical and funeral bills.
