gone down to the court. Artest punched Shackleford in the face, causing Haddad to intervene by pushing away Artest, before both fans fell over. While Haddad was on the floor, Anthony Johnson struck him in the back of the head. As Haddad stood up, Jermaine O'Neal punched him in the jaw after a running start, while slipping in liquid and falling backwards, causing witnesses Scot Pollard, ESPN sideline reporter Jim Gray, and Pistons executive Tom Wilson to briefly fear that O'Neal would kill Haddad. O'Neal later claimed that Haddad had been asked to leave the arena earlier that night, and was well known to security because of claims that he wanted to fight an NBA player in order to receive compensation. William Wesley, Austin Croshere, and Miller pulled Artest away from the fans, and Brown tried to calm Wallace. The scene became more chaotic as additional fans went onto the court and additional items were thrown, overwhelming arena security personnel as they tried to reestablish order. Although Auburn Hills police had plans to handle many disorders, and had three officers in the arena, they were unprepared for the possibility of players entering the stands or masses of fans going onto the court. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, "I felt like I was fighting for my life out there." One reporter who attempted to stop Tinsley from entering the stands recalled that the player "went through me like I was butter", and NBA Commissioner David Stern, watching the game on television, recalled that he said, "Holy [mouths a swear word]." O'Neal later said, "As bad as it looked on TV, it was at least 20 times worse in person." Pacers assistant coach Chuck Person compared the situation to being "trapped in a gladiator-type scene where the fans were the lions and we were just trying to escape with our lives. That's how it felt. That there was no exit. That you had to fight your way out." Players' children and others in the audience cried from fear and shock. Derrick Coleman stood near Brown and Brown's ball boy son to protect them. Referees ended the game with 45.9 seconds remaining, and awarded the Pacers with a 97–82 win. Pistons fans booed the Pacers players as they were escorted from the court by officials and security, and continued to throw beverages, popcorn and other objects (including a steel folding chair that nearly