LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A newly-released 911 call recording from the night of a UNLV fraternity's amateur charity boxing event is shining more light on what happened in the moments after a participant collapsed. He died days later.
Nathan Valencia, 20, died on Nov. 23 after taking part in a boxing match on Nov. 19. His death was ruled a homicide by the coroner's office.
Listen to the full 911 audio recording below. Scroll down for a transcript of the call.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told 13 Action News in a statement, "Although Mr. Valencia's death is tragic, the circumstances surrounding his death are not criminal and no charges will be filed."
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The agency says the definition of homicide is "an act of a human killing another person" and that it did not have information that there is any criminality on the part of the venue.
Meanwhile, the Nevada State Athletic Commission is investigating the "fight night" event.
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Below is a transcript of the 911 call obtained by 13 Action News and provided by Clark County. The transcript has been shortened for clarity and parts of the recording have been redacted, per HIPAA.
Caller: We are at the Sahara Event Center, there's a roller hockey rink. We need medics here like right now.
911 Operator: What's the number that you're calling from? What happened?
Caller: So we're hosting a fight night for a fraternity's charity and something happened, and we're not sure what happened. There's a fight that broke out and one of the fighters, like, actually got injured. The address is 800 Karen Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89109.
Operator: All right, so I just want to make sure, like, when you said you guys are holding a fight event, this wasn't like an assault, correct?
Caller: No. No, not an assault.
Operator: All right. Are you with the patient right now?
Caller: Yes.
Operator: I have help already started, okay? Just a couple of questions. Is there any serious bleeding?
[redacted]
Operator: Is he completely alert?
[redacted]
Operator: Alright, so I have paramedics already on the way, okay? Just stay on the line, I'll tell you exactly what to do next. Just make sure not to do not move him unless he is in danger.
[inaudible]
Caller: He's in the ring. We only have like eight people here in the ring, everyone else is out. We have nurses here but we need, like, real medical.
Operator: I understand and they're already on the way, okay? They are coming to you guys, lights and sirens. Just make sure nothing -
Caller: Do you know how long?
Operator: Well they're coming lights and siren, and so it's just gonna be a short time between when they get there, okay? They're not too far from you guys. Just nothing for him to eat or drink. That might make him sick or cause further problems.
Caller: They said give him water. Like, lots of water.
Operator: No, no, no — do not.
Caller: No water!
Operator: And then do not move him unless it's absolutely necessary. Okay?
Caller: Okay.
Operator: Alright, I'm gonna go ahead and stay on the line with you, okay? As long as I can. Just watch him closely and look for any changes.
Around the five-minute mark of the call the operator says, "It looks like the ambulance is there. They're gonna grab your equipment and they'll be right in. I need you to tell me as soon as they're inside."
About one minute later the caller is heard saying, "Oh my god, did he get hit with something or? Is the main event of the fight that happened the last event? If we're being honest, I was in the VIP section, and then a citizen fight kind of broke, but everyone's fine there. And then all of a sudden he's on the floor."
Around six minutes and thirty seconds, the caller asks, "Why did I have to be the one to call 9-1-1?"
The operator reassures her by saying, "Because you are the most calm one to do it for me."
At six minutes and 50 seconds, the caller confirms, "Okay, the paramedics are here."
The "fight night" was organized by the Kappa Sigma fraternity, which has had its activities suspended while the incident is investigated. Its international headquarters is also conducting a review of whether the local chapter followed internal policies and standards.
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UNLV has since announced it will start looking into new safety protocols going forward. The university has more than 300 student groups and it is currently reviewing the safety of all of them.
