Club football tournament in Mesa canceled after large-scale brawl

PHOENIX — A youth football tournament in Mesa was cut short after a fight broke out during a game and escalated into a brawl, authorities said.

Police responded to the Arizona Athletic Grounds near Ellsworth and Williams Field roads around 1 p.m. following reports from off-duty officers about approximately 100 people fighting at a field.

The fight began with about 10 players from each team involved in a flag football game before escalating as parents and spectators got involved.

Seventy officers responded to the scene: 37 from Mesa, 22 from Gilbert, eight from Queen Creek and three from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

All fields were cleared within 45 minutes of police arriving and all remaining games were canceled, Mesa Police Department spokesman Jose Aguirre said.

None of the players, parents or spectators reported injuries.

Authorities said police used no force, and no arrests were made.

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