CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — Hundreds of fans gathered at watch parties throughout the county for the Mexico-England match Sunday night. In downtown Chula Vista, the celebration spilled into the street after the game — and ended with a police response that some say went too far.
Nicko Savala was in the crowd on Third Avenue after the match.
"After the match, everyone was sad that the game was over, that we lost, and everyone, everyone gathered like right here, right in front of this area," Savala said.
He says police told the crowd to clear the street, but says the transition from that warning to pepper balls was too fast.
"One cop car pulling up and shouting through the speaker, you gotta get out of the street — is like that's not enough warning to warrant shooting at us with pepper bullets," Savala said.
Savala also described the impact on those around him.
"There were kids there, and kids were crying. It was, it was kind of hard to witness," Savala said.
Chula Vista police say officers had partial street closures in place ahead of the game in anticipation of large crowds. After the match, the department says people began throwing bottles, launching fireworks, and blocking police cars while ignoring orders to disperse. Police say a patrol car was damaged after someone kicked it and threw objects at it.
The department says no pepperball was directed at people.
Savala also shared video of officers dancing and enjoying the celebration with the crowd, saying police were sending mixed messages about their approach.
He says he hopes the situation is handled differently in the future.
"Moving forward I would hope that the police would be able to de-escalate without moving straight to pepper bullets," Savala said.
Chula Vista police say officers were present to prevent injuries, protect the community and nearby businesses, and to restore safe conditions when the gathering became disruptive.
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