Man pushes two child referees during amateur hockey game in Washington

A man shoved two child referees at an amateur hockey game in western Washington and faces misdemeanor assault charges.

The video, posted by the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association, shows a parent going onto the ice and shoving the two referees, ages 13 and 14 during a 12U game.

According to the Seattle Police Department, the incident occurred at the Kraken Community Iceplex Sunday morning where officers responded to reports that a man had pushed the refs.

The man had left the complex before officers arrived but was located and pulled over.

The suspect told police he broke up a fight his son and another player were in during a game, and during the altercation, he pushed a ref.

SPD says video evidence showed the fight had ended when the man went onto the ice and pushed both refs. Both victims suffered minor injuries.

The president of PNAHA Jody Carpenter posted the video and issued a statement:

The video we are sharing is difficult to watch, but it is crucial that we confront the seriousness of what happened. This incident serves as a stark reminder of why maintaining a safe and respectful environment in our sport is so essential.Hockey is a game of passion, but there is absolutely no place in our sport for the kind of egregious and outrageous behavior that occurred during a 12U Rec game here in Washington, where a parent went onto the ice and physically assaulted two young officials—a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old. In my over 40 years in hockey, I have never witnessed anything so completely unacceptable.USA Hockey’s Zero Tolerance and Safe Sport Policies exist to protect everyone involved in the game—players, officials, coaches, volunteers, and spectators alike. There is absolutely no excuse for this type of conduct, and it will not be tolerated at any level or for any reason.With the cooperation and leadership of our local programs, our PNAHA senior leadership is actively investigating this incident, and we are working with the authorities and all appropriate parties to ensure that this matter is swiftly addressed with the seriousness and accountability it demands. The safety and well-being of our officials, players, and families is our top priority, and we remain committed to upholding the integrity of the game.We ask all members of our hockey community to remember that respect for officials and sportsmanship are fundamental to our sport. If we fail to uphold these standards, we fail the game itself.