Fan charged with assaulting ref at high school basketball game in Minnesota
A live stream shows the incident at Audubon on Monday. (Supplied)
AUDUBON, Minn. (FOX 9) - A fan is accused of assaulting a referee at a high school basketball game on Monday in northern Minnesota.
The Audubon Police Department was informed by sheriff's deputies of the incident on Tuesday morning, the morning following the game between Lake Park-Audubon and Win-E-Mac.
Referees told deputies that, following a foul call late in the game, a fan identified as 45-year-old Phillip Shawn Lokken tossed a popcorn bag onto the court towards the referee who blew the whistle. The referee then immediately called for the fan to be ejected from the gymnasium.
Deputies said Lokken proceeded to flip off the referee and yelled "f--k you" before walking off the stands and approaching the referee. Police say Lokken then grabbed the referee's shirt and tore off his whistle and lanyard.
A live stream of the game shows an object being thrown onto the floor of the gym with about 50 seconds left in the game.
After the physical confrontation, deputies say they spoke with Lokken who said the ref had been making "bullsh-- calls all night" and he had had enough of that.
Lokken is now charged with assault in the fifth degree and disorderly conduct for the incident.