A Yankees-Mets game took an unexpected turn Friday night when a man ran onto the field during the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The incident happened during the seventh inning of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, with the man entering the field at exactly 9:11 p.m. as New York marked the anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
The man was later identified as 38-year-old Kelly Marcucci of Long Island. According to the NYPD, he was arrested and faces misdemeanor charges for interference with a professional sporting event and trespassing.
Marcucci allegedly jumped from the stands onto the baseball field before security quickly tackled him in center field. He was reportedly waving a Palestinian flag during the incident, which drew an angry reaction from spectators. Some fans began chanting “USA!” as security officers removed him from the field.
The timing made the disruption especially striking. The game was being held on a deeply emotional night for New York, with the Yankees and Mets taking part in a series of tributes honoring those who died in the 2001 attacks.
Before the game, the Yankees welcomed members of their 2001 team, including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Joe Torre. The stadium also held a special ceremony featuring Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire, both of whom lost their fathers in the attacks and later met through a camp for children who lost parents on 9/11.
Hours before the field incident, Marcucci had also posted a lengthy message on Facebook touching on 9/11, politics and other controversial subjects, according to the New York Post. He later appeared at the game wearing a jersey with “No Kings” written across the front.
The Yankees ultimately defeated the Mets 6-4, but the brief field disruption became one of the most talked-about moments of an otherwise solemn night dedicated to remembrance.