Relatives of Bryan Stow said Monday they were deeply gratified by news of an arrest Sunday in connection with the assault outside Dodger Stadium that left the Giants fan in critical condition.
Speaking at a news conference outside San Francisco General Hospital and wearing a black “LAPD” cap, Stow’s sister Erin Collins read a statement thanking the Los Angeles Police Department.
“We never gave up hope that this day would come, that the beginning of justice being served would happen,” Collins said.
A SWAT team descended on an east Hollywood apartment early Sunday morning and arrested 31-year-old Giovanni Ramirez, described by police as “the primary aggressor” in the beating of 42-year-old Stow on March 31. Two other suspects are still being sought, and a $250,000 reward has been offered for information.
Ramirez has previous convictions on charges including attempted robbery and possessing or importing for sale composite or hard wooden knuckles, a misdemeanor, according to the Associated Press. Other charges including assult, drug-related charges and one count of firing a weapon in public were dismissed.
Stow’s mother, Ann Stow, said an LAPD detective phoned her less than an hour after the arrest.
“He said, ‘Ann, I wanted to give you some information before you hear it on the news,’” Stow said. “And at that time, my heart just dropped.”
The news then spread quickly to family and friends.
“It was a very emotional day yesterday,” Stow said. “We were very excited that that piece of the puzzle — one of the pieces — had been put in place.”
Bryan Stow, a Santa Cruz father of two who worked as a paramedic in Santa Clara, was attacked after leaving the Opening Day Giants-Dodgers game with several friends. Two men wearing Dodgers garb taunted them, and as they tried to walk away, Stow was hit from behind, and then kicked while on the ground, according to police.
Stow suffered a severe skull fracture and is in a coma.
He remains in critical but stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman said Monday.
“It’s still hard,” Collins said. “Regardless, we continue to talk to him and play him music, so we leave all the medical stuff up to [the doctors].”
“It’s gonna be a long process,” she said.
Ann Stow said the family has been shocked by the huge outpouring of support for her son.
“I think because he was only 42, he was a father of two, and he was a paramedic for the past 6½ years, dedicating his life to helping so many people,” Stow said. “We were actually blown away with the scope of the attention that he had gotten. We get responses from people worldwide.”
aburack@sfexaminer.com
