A fall at the Rutgers University football stadium that left a young man in critical condition was "accidental," according to school officials.
Spokesman E.J. Miranda told The Home News Tribune of East Brunswick there's no indication Nicholas Amabile was pushed down a stairwell near halftime Saturday.
The 20-year-old Florham Park resident, who is not a student, sustained head injuries in the fall.
Anthony Pryer told The Star-Ledger of Newark that they decided to leave the game before half-time because they were bored, and that Amabile jumped up on the staircase rail and tried to slide down.
"He just went for it," said Pryer, who attended high school with Amabile. "There was no warning."
He said Amabile fell about 30 feet and was unconscious by the time Pryer reached him.
"We ran down as quick as we could," he said. "Some people were trying to touch him and I said we shouldn’t move him. He was out, but he had a pulse."
The accident occurred during the Big East conference game in which Syracuse beat Rutgers 13-10 on a last-minute field goal.
