2 men fall off edge of ocean bluff while playing ‘Pokemon Go’ in California
Sarah Boutwell played the augmented-reality smartphone game ‘Pokemon Go’ at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, Monday. In North San Diego County, two men fell off a bluff while playing the smartphone game, while farther north in Anaheim, a player was stabbed by group of men in a park recently. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
LOS ANGELES » The mania surrounding “Pokeman Go” continued today as more users found themselves in precarious situations while playing the augmented reality game.
In North San Diego County, two men fell off a bluff while playing the smartphone game, while farther north in Anaheim, a player was stabbed by group of men in a park recently.
The incidents come as law enforcement agencies across the nation are reporting a plethora of Pokemon-related attacks and odd happenings since the game was released last week.
On Wednesday, firefighters rescued two men who fell several stories after a sandy bluff they were standing on collapsed in Encinitas, according to authorities. The men, who were in their early 20s, were playing “Pokemon Go” at the time and were likely led to the cliff when they were trying to catch characters, said Sgt. Rich Eaton of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
One man fell 75 to 100 feet, and the other was found unconscious 50 feet down the bluff. Both were taken to area trauma centers and suffered moderate injuries, Encinitas fire officials said.
The men, according to firefighters, had crossed a fenced area to get to the bluff.
“I think people just need to realize this is a game,” Eaton said. “It’s not worth your life. No game is worth your life.”
In Anaheim, a man who was playing the game into the wee hours Wednesday was stabbed multiple times by a group of men at a park, police said.
The victim, who was in his late 20s, was using the app in Schweitzer Park in the 200 block of Bel Air Street, when he encountered the group of men around 12:30 a.m., police said.
Anaheim police Sgt. Luis Correa said five to six men, ranging in age from teens to 20s, attacked the man and stabbed him several times.
A motive for the attack has not been determined, he said.
Correa said detectives don’t think the group lured the man to the park. Instead, they think he happened to run into them there.
The victim was taken to an area hospital, where he was in fair condition with injuries that did not appear life-threatening.
Wednesday’s attack should serve as a reminder to “Pokemon Go” players to pay attention to their surroundings, Correa said.
“Your focus should be on what’s in front of you, so you don’t lose sight of what is happening,” he said.
Law enforcement agencies have warned that the game could leave players vulnerable to criminals.
Just in California, two men were reportedly robbed and carjacked Sunday while playing the game and trying to catch fictional characters at a Sacramento County park.
Hundreds of miles south, a brother and sister were robbed of their smartphones Sunday while playing “Pokemon Go” in San Francisco.
Two former Marines playing the game in Fullerton on Tuesday helped nab a man who was wanted in connection with attempted murder in Sonoma County. They notified police after they noticed the man was bothering children at a playground.
But in the world of Pokemon, it’s not crime all the time. Some bizarre happenings also have been associated with the game.
In San Luis Obispo County, Dan De Vaul reported that his sober-living facility, Sunny Acres, had been a designated stop in the latest “Pokemon Go” craze. The facility houses released sex offenders, which was a concern for De Vaul because he said his clients can’t be around children.
“I have no idea what Pokemon is,” he said. “I have no idea who put the stop — if it was sabotage — because we don’t want kids showing up here.”
28 responses to “2 men fall off edge of ocean bluff while playing ‘Pokemon Go’ in California”
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don’t these people have anything better to do…
Apparently not. They live in a fantasy world where their main goal is to capture characters in the game to earn status & they’ll die trying. It seems to be some sort of eradication technology.
More like Darwinism at work.
Exactly.
Just let the gene pool do what it is supposed to do. How did reality become so distorted for some?
I could say the same thing about you as you stay indoors and complaing about people who are having fun at least hundreds of thousands of people are playing this game responsibly just because some people screw up doesnt make everyone stupid
don’t misconstrue my comment Doc.
who’s complaining?
if they want to walk off a cliff playing a game that’s
their kuleana.
no you are placing words in my mouth i specifically stated some people are stupid but you really cant blame the game i agree that its sad that people are that stupid but they were already that stupid before they played the game the game just brought them out in the open but there are still a ton of people playing who arent messing up
Well many of us do not stay indoors…we’re out there on a fitness routine…let’s see…just got thru my 30 min. brisk walk to keep my “sensory receptors” active which in turn actives the capillary flow in to enhance “brain activity network” function which in turn minimizes the effect of “mild cognitive disorder”…in other words promotes cognitive brain function. Then there’s working the 45 min. core muscle workout. Hence, considering what I do, as well as those who do similar…we’re doing fine. Walking around outside chasing whatever is O.K. but, in my humble opinion, you need to challenge yourself a tad more. Not so intense as to make it not be enjoyable but enough to make it beneficial to your overall health (mind and body). In my opinion, the justification of “Pokemon Go” as an exercise…weighing pros and cons…not really… 🙂
These were two people from the utterly clueless, lost, Millennial generation. About what you would expect.
My exact thoughts guess they don’t need to work.
I went out to a local mall for the first time since I started playing Pokemon Go, and I was always observant of my surroundings. When I saw a Pokemon nearby, I went off to the side against a wall and catch them, all while people were walking by me.
There’s even a warning when loading the game that reminds you to be alert at all times and to be aware of your surroundings. I hope Niantic/The Pokemon Company/Nintendo won’t get sued by people because of these stupid actions people are doing because of this game. (personally, I’ll stick to the 3DS games)
Just watch the display of common courtesy…those being brushed aside may not even get an “excuse me” they may get the rude “coming thru!”…believe this is the accepted norm amongst the millennials (in some rare instances there may be an “excuse me”). Worst than the aforementioned…nothing just move aside! Just wait until they knock down a Keiki and the Bruddah takes offense to this rude behavior 🙂
To each his own? Enraptured with a fantasy world conquest with application to earning a living????
Ridiculous game.
Doesn’t sound like the game itself is the problem. The problem is how and where people use the game. If people are enjoying the game and getting exercise at the same time that’s great. It’s when people start doing stupid things like walking off cliffs, trespass onto private property and things like that is where the problems are created.
It sounds to me like there is a flaw in the game if Niantic is placing Pokemons at places where people shouldn’t be going. If they can remove them from cemeteries, they should remove them from private properties. That would solve at least one of the problems. I wish I knew how to fix stupidity.
Yep. Getting people, often entire families or groups of friends, to do a fun activity outdoors, in fresh air, is ridiculous.
CANNNNNNNN YOU FEEEEEEEEEEL THE LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE TONIIIIIIIIIIGHT
This is nice click-bait to spur advertiser dollars for every medial outlet. Blame a game for someone’s stupidity. Blame a lack of signage for someone entering a fenced off area or obviously dangerous location to do a stupid stunt like say…jumping into a blowhole…and what do we do? We bend over for the lawyers who see another opportunity to make some dollars. Criminals using an application to lure people to them? You can bet that if a mobile app wasn’t there, these scum would be dreaming up another scheme to cause trouble.
I came to read the comments…and they didn’t disappoint.
Wasn’t there a similar cliff incident in SD a few month’s ago? This is a very annoying situation and if you thought we had the pedestrian’s / crosswalk issue under control…watch out! I was discussing this issue with an acquaintance and she pointed out that this could be a culling process of those who lack the cognitive skill sets and common sense to be part of Community…just saying… 🙂
It’s called Darwinism.
Dumb and dumber
Ditto
Ditto…Ditto…
People will continue to walk off cliffs, into walls, and into oncoming traffic as long as there are handheld devices to distract them. Pokeman Go is just another diversion for those with their faces perpetually in their phones.
Situational awareness people, pay attention to what is going on around you at all times. Play with your phone when you get home.