Caught on Camera: 42-Year-Old Dad Shoves 2 Teen Refs at Hockey Game

A youth hockey game in Seattle took a shocking turn when a father stormed the ice and allegedly assaulted two young referees in front of stunned players and spectators. The violent outburst, caught on video, has sparked outrage in the hockey community.

Attack on Teen Officials Caught on Camera

On Feb. 9, 2025, Uriel Isaac Cortes-Gonzalez, 42, walked onto the ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex during a 12U recreational hockey game and allegedly shoved two teenage referees to the ground. Shocking footage posted by Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association (PNAHA) president Jody Carpenter on Instagram shows Cortes-Gonzalez approaching the referees, ages 13 and 14, during a game break and attacking them.

Witnesses say the young officials had been standing to the side when Cortes-Gonzalez suddenly stormed toward them, shoving both of them in an unprovoked assault. Carpenter condemned the attack, calling it one of the worst displays of behavior he has seen in his decades-long involvement in the sport. "Hockey is a game of passion, but there is absolutely no place in our sport for the kind of egregious and outrageous behavior that occurred during a 12U Rec game here in Washington," he wrote in the Instagram post caption, as reported by the New York Post. "In my over 40 years in hockey, I have never witnessed anything so completely unacceptable."

Cortes-Gonzalez Claims He Was Defending His Son

After his arrest, Cortes-Gonzalez told police he only entered the ice because he believed his son was being assaulted by an opposing player. Fox News reports that he claimed his son had been "punched and kicked for about thirty seconds" and that the referees did nothing to stop it. According to Cortes-Gonzalez, he shoved one of the referees in an attempt to reach his son and was unaware that the officials were minors, as reported by Fox News.

However, security footage from the rink told a different story. According to police, the referees had already broken up an altercation between players and had moved to the official's box to document the incident. The video shows Gonzalez allegedly approaching the young referees from behind before shoving them both to the ground.

"There was no fight at the time, and the game was stopped," police records stated, adding that "the assault appeared to be unprovoked," Fox News reports.

Spectators Stunned as Game Turns Violent

Parents and players in the stands watched in disbelief as the scene unfolded. Youth hockey referees often face verbal abuse from frustrated spectators, but physical attacks like this are rare. The teenagers, though shaken, did not suffer serious injuries. Cortes-Gonzalez was quickly removed from the ice and later arrested. He now reportedly faces two counts of misdemeanor assault and is banned from the rink, according to Fox News.

Push for Stronger Protections for Referees

In response to rising incidents of referee abuse, Washington state Rep. Suzanne Schmidt (R-4th) recently introduced legislation to protect game officials from both verbal and physical assault. After seeing the footage of Gonzalez's attack, Schmidt reaffirmed the need for stricter penalties. "My reaction was, 'That's exactly why I'm running this bill,'" she said, as reported by the New York Post.

The proposed law would make assaulting a referee a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine or six months in jail, along with a one-year ban from attending youth sporting events.

Schmidt noted that more referees are quitting due to safety concerns. "More and more referees are pulling out, saying, 'You know what? I'm not going to do this because I'm being physically assaulted,'" she said, according to the New York Post.

The case has drawn national attention, raising urgent questions about sportsmanship, parental conduct, and the safety of young referees. If convicted, Cortes-Gonzalez could face legal consequences that may serve as a warning to other parents who let their tempers take over. Whether Washington state's proposed referee protection law moves forward remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — violent behavior at youth sporting events will not be tolerated.

References: Irate Washington hockey dad allegedly assaults teen refs in 'unprovoked' attack during youth game | Washington man faces assault charges after allegedly attacking teen referees during son's hockey game | PNAHA Instagram post