By admin 
SALT RIVER, AZ (AZFamily) — Two brothers are facing felony charges after police say they followed a rival player out of Salt River Fields, pistol-whipped him and shot him after a men’s recreational baseball game Thursday night.
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According to court documents, a fight led to the game ending early on June 25. The victim was told to leave the facility, and he complied.
Confrontation moves to parking lot
Police say Nicholas DiMarco and Joseph DiMarco followed the victim in separate cars, blocking him from leaving the area. The brothers, armed with pistols, told the victim to get out of his car, the victim told police.
When he got out, the brothers began hitting the victim in the head with their guns until he fell to the ground. The brothers continued to punch and kick the victim, police said.
The victim was then shot in the ear and was grazed on the neck. Police said he also suffered a brain bleed.
Nicholas DiMarco and Joseph DiMarco allegedly tried to flee the scene but were stopped by police. Two guns were found in the vehicle, police said.
Both brothers invoked their right to remain silent after their arrests, according to police. They are now facing several charges involving aggravated assault.
Sports psychiatrist weighs in
Dr. Brook Choulet, founder of Choulet Performance Psychiatry, said competitive environments can push some people past their limits.
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“I think it’s not uncommon for people to take adult recreational sports very seriously as if they are professional athletes,” Choulet said.
Choulet said poor coping skills can fuel that kind of escalation.
“Unfortunately, it is common for people to be verbally aggressive, online bullying, physically aggressive, and that just kind of reflects on the coping skills of the person,” she said.
“It does get to a point sometimes where people are so overly invested,” Choulet said. “Without good coping skills and strategies to manage frustration and anger, it can escalate to that point.”
Choulet said recreational leagues are meant to serve a different purpose.
“When you say recreational league, that’s what it truly should be. And yes, there is a competitive nature in rec leagues, but at the end of the day, everyone’s there to have fun, build community, and there’s so many positive mental health benefits of community sports,” she said.
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