Fan involved in Heinz Field fight went out for drinks before dying at home, police sources say

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PITTSBURGH - A Baldwin man was found dead in his home Monday morning after he was reportedly involved in an altercation following Sunday's Steelers game at Heinz Field, officials said.
 
Pittsburgh police said the man, identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office as 44-year-old William Laughlin, sustained a head injury during the incident as he was leaving the stadium. Witnesses tell Channel 11 News that Laughlin -- a Steelers fan -- was fighting with a Cowboys fan.
 
"It's shocking because Pittsburgh is known to be a very friendly city and, like, I've never heard of anything like that happening in the stadium," Pittsburgh resident Stepan Gusak said.
 
According to Channel 11's police sources, the fight included smack-talking and happened on a ramp inside Heinz Field, where Laughlin was punched and knocked unconscious.
 
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from the stadium. No suspects have been identified.
 
Police sources said that after the fight, Laughlin went out drinking before returning to his Baldwin home and going to sleep. He never woke up.
 
"I can't believe someone got into a fight at a football game that caused them to die. That's awful," Tom Jackson, of Pittsburgh, said.
 
Neighbors in Baldwin were shocked to learn that Laughlin, a married father of three children, was involved in a fight, and said he and his family mostly kept to themselves.
 
Detectives from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Major Crimes Unit are investigating Laughlin's death. Autopsy results from the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office have not yet been released.
 
Jim Sacco, Heinz Field vice president of stadium operations, released the following statement Monday:
 
"Heinz Field Management has become aware that the City of Pittsburgh Police are investigating the death of a fan who attended the game at Heinz Field on Sunday. Regrettably, the individual fan apparently died at home last evening.
 
"Heinz Field Management will not release any further information given the ongoing Police investigation. That is all the information we have available at this time."

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