Broad Street bully? Flyers mascot Gritty accused of punching 13-year-old boy

The father of a 13-year-old boy is claiming that popular Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty punched his son in the back after a November 2019 meet-and-greet event for season ticket holders. And now police are conducting an investigation into the alleged incident.

Chris Greenwell told The Philadelphia Inquirer his 13-year-old son, Brandon, waited in line for about an hour to meet the orange, googly-eyed monster before a Nov. 19 Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center. But after getting his picture taken and patting the mascot on the head, Chris Greenwell claims Gritty “took a running start” and “punched my son as hard as he could” in the back.

According to the Inquirer, after Greenwell and Comcast Spectator, the company that owns the Flyers, were unable to come to an agreement on what happened that night, the boy’s father reported the incident to law enforcement.

Philadelphia police confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday that an investigation is “active and on-going with the South Detectives Division.”

The Flyers said in a statement Wednesday that they conducted an investigation but found no evidence backing the allegations.

Read more at usatoday.com