Tailgating Ban, No Game Won't End Violence

Saturday night is not all right for fighting, and nor will Sunday afternoons -- the 49ers are ending post-game tailgating and instituting a host of other changes in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the violence seen Saturday.

If 40 percent more police presence than normal -- the law enforcement presence on hand at Saturday's violent 49ers-Raiders contest at Candlestick Park -- wasn't enough to prevent two shootings and numerous beatings, what will be? A ban on tailgating and an end to the annual contest, for starters, according to media reports.

But with so much of the violence occuring inside the stadium during the game and in the parking lot immediately thereafter, will those kiboshes be enough?

A total of 39 people were arrested or cited by police at the contest, according to police chief Greg Suhr, and 10 were sent to the hospital. Want rawer, scarier numbers? There was 40 percent more police on hand at the game than at typical regular season contests -- which have nearly triple the amount of spectators, according San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr.

Tailgating will be limited to four hours before the game only, and anyone setting up a grill to cook up a hot dog before the ride home through the newly-instated DUI checkpoints will be in trouble, according to the team. The shootings occurred at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the stadium parking lot, according to the San Francisco Examiner.

One of the incidents began as a fistfight in the RV lot. The other, originally described as gang-related, was not, according to the father of the victim. The victim attempted to help some of his Niner-gear wearing friends who were in the process of being pummeled before he was shot three times in the torso, according to the Bay Citizen. The victim managed to drive his own vehicle for several minutes before seeking help.

Other "highlights": one drunken brawler bit a police officer's arm so hard he had to be fought off before he was arrested; Section 13 played host to two fights, including one between suspected gang members and another involving bicycle cops; two men were knocked unconscious while waiting in line for the restroom. Oh, and both teams still aren't very good.

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