Flyers Mascot Gritty Cleared After Investigation into Alleged Assault of Child

Gritty, the much-talked-about mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers, has been cleared of any wrongdoing related to allegations that it punched a 13-year-old boy in November.

According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the Philadelphia Police Department released the following statement regarding its decision: "That investigation, which has been completed and is no longer active, determined that the actions of the individual portraying the Flyers' mascot did not constitute physical assault as alleged."

In January, Chris Greenwell told Christian Hetrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Gritty "took a running start" and punched his 13-year-old son, Brandon, "as hard as he could" during a Nov. 19 event for season-ticket holders.

Greenwell added he took his son to the chiropractor one week after the alleged incident, and he was diagnosed with a back bruise.

Per Hetrick, the Flyers looked into the allegations but determined there was no video evidence and no witnesses who saw Gritty hit Brandon Greenwell.

After the Philadelphia Police Department's conclusion, the Flyers released a statement on the matter as well: "We are pleased that the Philadelphia Police Department concluded there was no merit to the alleged claim. The police department's statement confirms our thorough internal investigation that found no evidence of the described actions ever having taken place."

Chris Greenwell also commented on the Philadelphia police dismissing the allegations, telling the Inquirer: "I respect the police's decision, but I stand by what my son told me and what I saw, and I just want to put this behind me. Any parent would have done the same if they were in the same situation."

The Flyers introduced Gritty in 2018, as they were one of only two NHL teams without a mascot at that time. Gritty has gained a massive following and become one of the most popular mascots in sports.

Gritty is a large, furry, orange creature who dons a Flyers jersey and keeps fans entertained with antics, much like the Philadelphia Phillies' Phillie Phanatic.

The Flyers—who have not revealed who plays the character—have continued to utilize Gritty at their games since the alleged incident. Gritty even took part in the mascot game during NHL All-Star Weekend in St. Louis.