Hundreds of people ran to the exit gate to try to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos and trampled others.
Malang, Indonesia – Panic at an Indonesian soccer match after police fired tear gas to stop the brawl left 129 people dead, most of them trampled to death, police said.
Several fights were reported between supporters of the two rival football teams inside the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java province, after the Indonesian Super League match ended with Persibaya Surabaya’s 3-2 victory over Arima Malang.
East Java Police Chief Nico Aventa said the scuffles that erupted after the match ended late on Saturday night prompted riot police to fire tear gas, causing panic among fans.
Hundreds of people ran to the exit gate to try to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos, and others were crushed, killing 34 people almost instantly.
Aventa said more than 300 people were taken to nearby hospitals to treat the wounded, but many more died on the way and during treatment.
He said the death toll was likely still on the rise, as many of the nearly 180 casualties were deteriorating.
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