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Officials, Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt Hold News Conference


LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP)
— City officials say they'll do whatever it takes to make sure baseball fans are safe at Dodger Stadium after a savage beating at the season opener that left a San Francisco Giants fan with brain damage.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt held a news conference Friday to announce new security measures that will be implemented at the stadium.

Beck says there will be zero tolerance for misbehavior at Dodger games. Short-term security measures include more police officers. Dodgers spokesman Josh Rawitch said the club will cover the overtime costs.

Bryan Stow, 42, a paramedic from Santa Cruz, remains in critical condition at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center after he was attacked last week by two men wearing Dodgers attire in the stadium parking lot because Stow was wearing a Giants jersey. Witnesses told police the men were drunk.

Since the attack, eyewitnesses are speaking publicly about the two men they saw brutally assault Stow at the Dodgers' home opener last week.

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Officials scrambled to keep the incident from damaging the city's image and to prevent further outbreaks of violence between fans of the archrival Dodgers and Giants.

"It's an aberration," Councilman Ed Reyes said. "Dodger Stadium is part of our identity. We need to restore our confidence."

Deputy Chief Jose Perez said the release of composite sketches of the suspects generated 80 leads that were being followed by a team of detectives.

"We have our best working on this," he said.

A reward for information leading to an arrest has grown to $150,000, with donors including the City Council, the Dodgers, Giants, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and Stow's employer American Medical Response.

In addition, the Dodgers have hired former LAPD Chief William Bratton to study lighting, alcohol sales and other security issues.

Beck has promised a safe, family-friendly, fan-friendly environment at Dodger Stadium beginning with the next game on April 14.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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