Cubs Fan Dies After Falling Over Railing At Wrigley Field Tuesday Night

By Stephen Gossett in News on May 18, 2017 2:49PM

Wrigley Field / Getty Images / Photo: Stacy Revere

Update, May 23:
Police said that the fan who died after falling at Wrigley Field last week was climbing on a railing while holding a cup in his hand when he fell backward and struck his head on concrete some 10 feet below, according to reports. The Tribune reports that a police source said the victim was sober when he fell. The death was ruled accidental.

A Cubs communication representative said that the relatively lower height of the handrail over which Garrity fell—36 inches, as opposed to 42 inches in some stadiums—"in no way contributed to this incident," according to NBC Chicago.

Original:
A Wheaton man died on Wednesday after he fell over a railing at Wrigley Field the night before.

Richard E. Garrity, 42, fell as he was leaving the stadium at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, after the Cubs had wrapped up a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He suffered severe head trauma and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on Wednesday at around 3:30 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner and reports.

The Tribune reports that Garrity was a lifelong Cubs fan and a marketing manager for Heineken who was taking in the game as a work function.

"The thoughts and prayers of our entire organization are with his family during this difficult time," the Cubs said in a statement.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.