A parent attending a youth basketball game in Omaha, Neb., has been arrested this week after he attacked the referee calling the game. The attack was caught on video by others in attendance, leading to 40-year-old Joshua Littrell’s identification.
The referee, who asked not to be identified by the media, stopped the play of game and the clock when fans in the stands became to rowdy to continue. Sean Johnston, the official’s supervisor, said he did the right thing in that moment and could not have guessed the parent’s next move.
In the video, multiple adults can be seen rushing across the basketball court toward the referee. A few seconds later, the referee can be seen falling to the floor. As he walks closer to the camera, he is seen cradling his face.
According to First Alert 6 News, Johnston said, “The referee took a punch, so it’s going to take some time for him to feel safe again out in the sporting world.”
Johnston continued, “In every one of our contracts, we put in there, ‘adequate security.’ After seeing this video, maybe the definition of adequate security is having an armed police officer or a company for security on the game site.” Previously, Johnston explained, his team considered having another official present for youth tournaments an adequate level of security. In this scenario, the second official was out of the gym.
The identified parent, Littrell, was arrested for misdemeanor assault on a referee. He was released from Sarpy County Jail on a $1,000 bond and faces up to a year in jail for the incident.
Factory Basketball, the organization that hosts this once-a-year youth tournament, said in a statement, “the parent accused of assault is associated with an out-of-town team and not the athlete development organization.” Factory Basketball went on to call the incident “heartbreaking” and said that it, “has always offered a safe environment but will continue to pour effort into change moving forward.”
