The US military has identified the air force officer who died after he fell from the rafters of the Alamodome during a rappelling demonstration before the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)’s home game against Navy on Saturday.
He was Tech Sgt Ian Patterson, a tactical air control party instructor assigned to the sixth combat training squadron, detachment two, at Joint Base San Antonio.
A statement issued on Sunday by the air force said Patterson – of Fort Stewart, Georgia – had served for ۱۵ years. He had been the air force special warfare enlisted instructor of the year at the Headquarters Air Force level in ۲۰۲۲, according to the statement issued by Nevada’s Nellis air force base.
“This tragedy is felt deeply,” said a statement attributed to US air force Brig Gen Scott C Mills, commander of the branch’s ۵۷th wing. “Tech Sgt Patterson and his service mattered immensely to our wing, and to the family, friends, and teammates who had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside him.
“Our team is now focused on standing beside Ian’s family, loved ones, and fellow [air force members] as we navigate this profound loss together.”
An investigation was under way after Patterson’s death into what led up to his fall during a rappelling demonstration at UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game against Navy.
A video of the fall that was posted on social media showed Patterson, in combat fatigues, quickly descending to the ground feet first. The fall occurred with fans in the stands and a band assembled nearby on the field.
He was treated on the field for several minutes and taken away on a gurney.
In a statement after the game, UTSA offered counseling service contacts for students and said: “We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues.”
Patterson was among four military service members who were scheduled to participate in the pregame rappelling demonstration.
According to the air force, the service members who were participating in the rappelling demonstration were part of a team of specialists who embed with army and marine units and help to direct air and artillery strikes from forward ground locations.
Part of their training includes learning to rapidly drop by rope, sometimes from helicopters that are ۱۰۰ft (about ۳۰ meters) or more above the ground.
The game at the Alamodome in San Antonio was delayed for about ۱۰ minutes. After UTSA won ۳۸-۳۴, the American Athletic Conference to which the school’s football team belongs said it decided to continue with the game “to mitigate speculation about [Patterson’s] medical status” during the time his condition remained unknown.
The conference’s statement said it wanted to avoid creating “additional distress” for Patterson’s family and guided itself out of respect for their privacy and adherence to the US military’s process for notifying members’ next of kin of casualties.
After the game, UTSA coach Jeff Traylor told reporters that the accident was “heartbreaking” and “tragic”.
Traylor said the team could see the effect that it had on the crowd of more than ۲۳,۰۰۰ people as soon as players arrived on the field for the game, although the coach had only been told there had been an “incident” that would delay the start of the game.
“You could tell the energy was just gone,” he said. “It just really puts things in perspective. It really does.”
Beside his ۲۰۲۲ instructor of the year recognition, Patterson’s other achievements included earning the air and space commendation medal with three oak leaf clusters. He also earned the army commendation medal, air and space achievement medal and army achievement medal, each with one oak leaf cluster, the military said on Sunday.
“Our relationship with local community partners is incredibly important to our airmen, especially during difficult times like these,” Mills said, using a term that the air force uses to refer to its members. “We are grateful to the San Antonio community and our mission partners at Joint Base San Antonio for the care, compassion and support they have shown.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting
