A seat dispute at the Alamodome turned into a bloody attack on an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio police still don't know who threw the punch. The victim, identified in local reporting as University of Texas Rio Grande Valley student Frankie Puente, was left with facial bruising and a split lip after the confrontation during the September 5 UTSA-UTRGV football game, and investigators are now asking the public for help tracking down his attacker.
According to the San Antonio Police Department, the attack happened around 5 p.m. at the Alamodome, leaving the victim with what police described as multiple facial injuries. Puente had traveled to San Antonio to cheer on his school in its first-ever football game against an NCAA FBS opponent, according to KENS 5. The station reports the game drew a crowd of more than 33,000 spectators, with UTSA winning the historic matchup 45-16.
What started the fight, per Puente's father speaking to the same station, was almost absurdly small. His son had rested his knee by placing a foot on an empty seat nearby, and the suspect responded by shoving Puente's foot off, according to the outlet's report. Words were exchanged, and as Puente tried to stand up, the man punched him, the father said. A friend recorded the altercation on video, and that footage circulated on social media before police put out their public appeal for help identifying the attacker.
Emergency Room Visit and an Open Investigation
Puente was taken to an emergency room following the assault, where he was evaluated and released several hours later with facial bruising and a split lip, the station's report notes. San Antonio police are directing tips to their Homicide Unit, which is asking anyone with information on the suspect's identity to call (210) 207-7635.
That the Homicide Unit is fielding tips on a non-fatal assault isn't unusual for San Antonio's police force. The city's proposed 2026-2027 municipal budget calls for shifting six patrol detectives into the department's Homicide and Special Victims units specifically to help manage caseloads tied to non-fatal violent crime, according to Texas Public Radio. Overall department funding is projected to rise under that proposal.
New Police Chief Sworn In Same Day as Suspect Appeal
The timing of the public suspect request carries its own significance. The San Antonio City Council unanimously confirmed Jesus “Jesse” Salame as the city's new police chief on September 10, the same day SAPD published its social media appeal seeking the attacker. Salame, a 27-year veteran of the department, previously oversaw the Homicide and Special Victims units himself.
It remains unclear whether venue security or off-duty SAPD officers responded to the altercation as it unfolded. The city-owned, 64,000-seat Alamodome, which opened in 1993 and serves as UTSA's home field, relies exclusively on off-duty SAPD officers from the department's Off-Duty Employment Unit for event security and crowd control.
What Charges Could Look Like
No arrest has been announced, and it isn't yet clear what charges the suspect could face once identified. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.01, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to another person is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in county jail and a fine of up to $4,000, according to FindLaw.
That charge could escalate significantly depending on how investigators and prosecutors ultimately assess the severity of Puente's injuries. Texas Penal Code § 22.02 elevates an assault to aggravated assault, a second-degree felony carrying a sentence of two to 20 years in prison, if the attack causes serious bodily injury or involves a deadly weapon. Serious bodily injury under that statute involves a substantial risk of death or permanent disfigurement, per FindLaw.
Separately, Texas Senate Bill 2929, which took effect for the 2025-2026 school year, gives game officials and event staff explicit legal authority to immediately remove disruptive spectators from interscholastic events without warning, and those ejection decisions cannot be appealed. It isn't clear from available reporting whether that authority came into play during Friday's incident.
For now, the case remains open, and San Antonio police are relying on the public to help identify the man seen in the video. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit tip line.
