Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty was chased down and beaten by a small goalkeeper Wednesday night after stealing and tossing the child’s glove during a “Mites on Ice” kids hockey game.
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty was chased down and beaten by a small goalkeeper Wednesday night after stealing and tossing the child’s glove during a “Mites on Ice” kids hockey game. Twitter
Herb Scribner
By Herb Scribner

Gritty — the viral mascot from the Philadelphia Flyers — is under investigation for allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old fan last November, NBC News reports.

What happened: The incident reportedly occurred at a November photoshoot with Flyers fans at the Wells Fargo Center, according to NBC News.

  • Chris Greenwell, the boy’s father, told the Philadelphia Inquirer the team invited his family to meet Gritty since they were season ticket holders.
  • Greenwell said his son and Gritty played around after the photoshoot. His son patted Gritty on the head. Greenwell alleges that Gritty jumped out of his chair, ran at his son and punched him in the back.
  • Per NBC News, Greenwell said in an email: “I know it was not correct for my son to harmlessly tap him on his head but for a Flyers employee to get (sic) throw a full punch at someone with his back turned and hurt a 13-year-old boy is assault, unprofessional and unacceptable for your organization.”

Reaction: The Philadelphia Flyers denied the charges against the mascot, according to ESPN.

  • Flyers (via ESPN): “We took Mr. Greenwell’s allegations seriously and conducted a thorough investigation that found nothing to support this claim.”
  • A police spokesperson said the incident was an alleged “physical assault.”
  • The investigation is ongoing, according to ESPN.
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