The family of a University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) student who died after headlining a fraternity's amateur charity boxing has slammed the university and fraternal organization over lack of safety protocols at the event.
Nathan Valencia, 20, collapsed about five minutes after participating in 'Kappa Sigma Fight Night' on November 19. He had suffered from internal bleeding and brain injuries after being severely hurt in the fight.
The college junior died from blunt force trauma to the head on November 23, just days before his 21st birthday. The coroner ruled his cause of death as homicide. His organs were donated to eight different people.
Now, his family has alleged organizers of the annual charity boxing match failed to take safety precautions, such as having a paramedic present at the event.
'Our preliminary investigation reveals mistakes were made and safety precautions overlooked. We will be completing a full investigation to determine how UNLV and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity could allow and promote an event like this to take place,' the family told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in a statement through their attorneys.
'College students should not be placed in a situation where they are pitted against each other for combat. "Kappa Sigma Fight Night" is an event that has been held annually and was well known to both UNLV and the national Kappa Sigma Fraternity. We will leave no stone unturned to determine how a 20 year old ended up in a school-sanctioned amateur fight that cost him his life.'
The family of Nathan Valencia (right) has slammed University of Nevada Las Vegas and Kappa Sigma Fraternity over the lack of safety protocols at the organization's annual charity boxing event. Valencia died after he was severely injured in the fight
Valencia collapsed after the fight and was rushed to the hospital where he later succumbed to brain injuries he suffered from the amateur fight night (Pictured: Valencia fought in the charity 'Fight Night' in the black shorts)
His 'heartbroken' family said they are investigating 'how a 20-year-old ended up in a school-sanctioned amateur fight that cost him his life' (Pictured: Valencia fought in the charity 'Fight Night' it is unclear which fighter in the photo he is)
The Nevada Athletic Commission has launched an investigation into Valencia's death after witnesses alleged there was no professional medical help present at the event.
Video from the event obtained by the KLAS investigative team showed the match referee apparently drinking alcohol while on the job.
There were also reports that the referee was not licensed.
Commission Chairman Stephen J. Cloobeck told the TV station the investigation would look several allegations, including the aforementioned ones.
'We have confirmed from multiple sources that there were no paramedics or medical personnel of any kind at this event. We have also confirmed that participants in years past were knocked unconscious and so injured they required hospital attention,' the family attorneys said in a statement.
'The so-called "referee" at this event appears to have had no professional training, no license as required by the Nevada Athletic Commission, and was recorded on video drinking before the fights.'
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