Last night's WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in New York took a very sudden and unexpectedly violent turn when a fan managed to come at one of the legendary wrestlers receiving an award.
The fan got on stage and attacked 61-year-old Bret "The Hitman" Hart during his speech, at which point he was subdued by various other wrestlers nearby and event security. The WWE released a statement today, revealing that the organization turned the attacker over to the police: “An over-exuberant fan surpassed our security at ringside and made his way briefly into the ring. The individual has been turned over to the proper authorities.”
The assailant now faces assault and criminal trespassing charges. According to those in attendance, he came directly from the audience and managed to get on stage.
The attack on Hart was recorded on video and dispersed through social media platforms like Twitter immediately. The audience cheered when the attacker was punched by one of the wrestlers, and Hart continued his speech once the fan was taken into custody.
Hart comes from a family of wrestlers, taking after his father, Stu. He's considered one of the best wrestlers of all time, beginning his in-ring debut in 1978 and becoming a champion throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He's held 32 wins throughout his career and as of last night, became one of only four people to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)