San Francisco

Oracle Arena Fall Victim in For Long, Slow Recovery

A Warriors fan who was severely injured in a fall at Oracle Arena after Sunday's NBA Finals Game 7 was recovering from elbow surgery Wednesday at Highland Hospital in Oakland.

It is the first of many procedures Salvator Bimbo, of Los Angeles, must undergo before he's fully recovered.

Bimbo's family said he was pushed off the upper concourse during a fight that broke out between rival fans after the game between the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bimbo fell 50 feet and suffered major injuries to his cheekbone, nose, head and body, his father Ronnie Bimbo said.

Oakland police are investigating the incident, including what caused Bimbo to fall.

"It's still under investigation," Oakland police spokesman Marco Marquez said, adding that there a lot of unanswered questions. "We're still trying to determine whether or not this was the result of an altercation or if other means caused this man to fall."

Salvator Bimbo, 21, who grew up in San Francisco and returned to the Bay Area to attend the big game, shot some of the alleged fight on his cellphone camera before his fall. Police took possession of the phone and are checking it for any evidence, Ronnie Bimbo said.

Meanwhile, as Salvator Bimbo was recovering from the first of many procedures with his family by his side, he could not remember much of the incident.

"He's asking me what's happening, what happened to him," Ronnie Bimbo said. "He told me he remembers a fight, and he don't remember nothing else.

"If anybody knows anything or seen anything ... please contact us," he added.

The family says it is still contemplating legal action, saying the arena's upper level concourse needs more safeguards and more security.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Salvator Bimbo's treatment and recovery.

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