Air Force identifies Ian Patterson after fatal fall before UTSA–Navy game

The Air Force has identified Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson as the service member who died after a fall during a pregame rappelling demonstration at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, October 17, before UTSA played Navy. His name gives a public identity to the airman whose death was reported after the game; officials have not said what caused the fall.

Patterson was treated on the field and taken to a local hospital, where he died, The Comeback reported. The demonstration was part of UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans ceremony. Four service members were scheduled to rappel from the stadium ceiling onto the field about 15 minutes before kickoff, according to the outlet.

Who was Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson?

Hindustan Times reported that Patterson was named Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year in 2022. Brig. Gen. Scott C. Mills, commander of the 57th Wing, said in a statement quoted by The Comeback that Patterson’s service mattered to the wing and to the family, friends and colleagues who knew him.

What happened before the UTSA–Navy game?

A witness, Adrian Corey, told KSAT that one of the people descending began to fall quickly and that the band stopped playing, according to The Comeback. That account describes what Corey saw during the ceremony; the incident remains under investigation, and officials have not established why Patterson fell.

The Comeback reported that kickoff was delayed by about 10 minutes before the game went ahead. UTSA President Taylor Eighmy expressed condolences to Patterson’s family and fellow airmen, saying in a statement quoted by the outlet that a day intended for camaraderie and celebration had been marked by sadness.

The identification follows NewsJaws’ earlier report on the death, which said the service member had not yet been named. The investigation is continuing, with no official cause announced.