Officer attacks opposing team’s coach while at his child’s soccer game, MA cops say

An off-duty police officer is accused of attacking the opposing team’s coach at his child’s soccer game, Massachusetts authorities told news outlets.

The assault happened at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at a recreation center in Northborough, the Northborough Police Department said in a March 7 news release, adding that officers responded after receiving a 911 call about “a fight on the field.”

“Officers learned through an initial investigation that an altercation had occurred between a parent of a child who was playing and a coach of an opposing team,” police said.

The department identified the parent as a 36-year-old West Boylston resident, but didn’t share his name.

However, police in nearby Worcester said the parent is one of their officers, the Telegram & Gazette reported. He’s been placed on leave while the department conducts an internal investigation into his actions, police said.

In video from the recreation center, the officer can be seen crossing the field and confronting the coach, WCVB reported. There’s a heated exchange of words, then the officer grabs the coach by his collar and shoves him against a fence as children shout and adults rush in to stop the fight, which ends in a violent scrum on the turf.

Teamworks, the rec center where the fight happened, is “very disappointed and does not condone what occurred by the adults in front of youth soccer participants,” it said in a statement to McClatchy News, adding that it is “fully cooperating with law enforcement.”

Investigators have not said what led to the fight.

The officer could be charged with assault and battery, pending his upcoming arraignment, police said.

Worcester is a roughly 45-mile drive southwest from Boston.

This story was originally published March 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Officer attacks opposing team’s coach while at his child’s soccer game, MA cops say."