Mayor Parker addresses fan safety after Temple student dies climbing pole
”We want to have a good time celebrating our Eagles in every way imaginable. But we have to do so in a way that does not result in this kind of tragedy,” she said.
![Eagles fans block North Broad at Wood Street while celebrating after the Eagles won the Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship game in Philadelphia on Sunday, January 26, 2025.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/v2/CAS2G7PSUFEF3IUM5MMNT2PC3E.jpg?auth=51d9ba45ea6739cf0783a183fb48ee6f2896abcd7d462b5e7448432e50453922&width=760&height=507&smart=true)
The day after Temple University said one if its students, Tyler Sabapathy, had died after falling from a street pole while celebrating the Eagles’ Super Bowl berth, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker offered her condolences to his family and the Temple community, and implored Philadelphians to be more careful.
”My thoughts and prayers go out to the family who have experienced this tragedy,” she said at a news conference Wednesday.
”We want to celebrate the moment and we want to have a good time celebrating our Eagles in every way imaginable. But we have to do so in a way that does not result in this kind of tragedy.”
» READ MORE: Temple student who fell from street pole during NFC championship celebration has died
Parker declined to say whether the pole that Sabapathy fell from had been greased, but she asked the public to refrain from climbing poles and other structures. She offered a reminder that the Philadelphia Police Department can use cameras and other tools to “identify individuals who’ve committed dangerous or criminal acts.”
Parker also declined to give details on any possible increased security measures for Super Bowl Sunday, but said that the city’s team of emergency management personnel would continue to make safety its chief priority while it prepares for the game. Parker’s concern extended beyond Sabapathy — she mentioned an Eagles fan who was captured on video firing a gun into the air in the middle of a crowd at Frankford and Cottman Avenues, and thanked God that it didn’t result in another tragedy.
”We are the best fan base in sports across the board. They need us to support them and be there to encourage them. But when we do celebrate them, let’s honor them and make sure that we’re doing it decently and in order,” she said.