Thousands of soccer fans trying to force their way into a stadium on Sunday for a championship match stampeded in panic when police fired tear gas, and at least four people and an unborn fetus were killed in the crush and 25 others were injured, authorities said. The stampede happened at Gate 11 of the National Stadium in Honduras' capital as fans tried to push their way into the jammed venue to see the game between Motagua and Honduras Progreso, officials said. It said the stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000, was already full while crowds of fans were still outside brandishing tickets. About 600 police officers were guarding the stadium and used water cannon and tear gas trying to push back the crowds. Motagua won the game 3-0, but club president Eduardo Atala tweeted afterward that “there is nothing to celebrate with what happened outside the stadium.”

Source: Los Angeles Times May 29, 2017 03:00 UTC