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Marple police describe stampede at charity ‘Hero Bowl’ after late third‑quarter fight
Summary
Marple Township police said a fight at the charity Hero Bowl on May 28 led to a large stampede of teens that prompted early termination of play; the chief said a Delaware County MERT team was on site and that no formal complaints were received about a reported pepper‑spray incident.
Chief Brandon Grief told the Marple Township Board of Commissioners on June 8 that an altercation at the May 28 Hero Bowl at Cardinal O'Hara High School sparked a stampede and forced officials to stop the game.
"We made it through halftime...A fight started, and then that stampede happened," Chief Grief said, describing a mass movement of teens toward Don Juanella Woods and overflow parking at Don Quinella. He said officers on scene quelled the initial scuffle and that the teams had been brought to the middle of the field as a precaution.
Grief said the department had a visible Delaware County MERT (Multi‑Agency Emergency Response Team) presence at the event, "about 22 members," which he said served as a deterrent. He said he consulted with the Hero Bowl committee and that the decision was made to call the game early as daylight waned to avoid losing control of the crowd.
The chief also addressed a media‑shared video that reporters asked the township to confirm. "They sent me that video...I'm like, that's the front of Don Quinella. That's county property," he said, noting that alleged pepper‑spray use by Aston police on the O'Hara overpass had not resulted in any complaints to the township.
In his monthly report, Grief said Marple police responded to roughly 1,625 calls for service in May (reported as "16 25" in the transcript), a 9% increase from the prior month. He reported 48 total crimes in May (up 14% from the previous month and down 2% from May 2025), with thefts accounting for 44% of crimes and retail thefts representing 62% of those. The department made 19 arrests in May involving 37 charges, he said.
Grief also provided an update on a May 5 incident in which his juvenile officer filed a petition against a 15‑year‑old for simple assault after the youth allegedly struck an employee with a bike.
What happens next: Grief did not announce additional formal actions; the board acknowledged the report and moved on to other business.
