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Four Men Charged with Assault in NYC Knockout Attacks

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Anti-crime group the Guardian Angels posted warnings in Brooklyn about the Knockout Game, in which teenagers try to knock a stranger out with a sucker punch.
Anti-crime group the Guardian Angels posted warnings in Brooklyn about the Knockout Game, in which teenagers try to knock a stranger out with a sucker punch.
Four men have been arrested in connection with the assault of a 24-year-old Orthodox Jewish man in Brooklyn.

The men have been accused of assaulting an Orthodox Jew in another alleged case of the recently popularized “knockout game.” One of the suspects, Amrit Marajh, 28, is being charged with two felony hate crimes for allegedly punching a 24-year-old Orthodox Jewish man who was wearing a yarmulke Friday morning, according to reports. The other three suspects are facing assault charges, which may be upgraded. The victim was not seriously injured.

According to police commissioner Raymond Kelly, the four men surrounded the victim at 2:45 am on 18th Avenue in Borough Park. Luckily, an unmarked police car was nearby the assault as it took place. The unidentified Brooklyn victim said he heard his alleged attackers dare each other to deliver the sucker punch until one suspect finally said , “I’ll do it to this guy,” before punching the victim, according to CBS 2.

According to NYPD Sgt. Carlos Nieves, Marajh was talking about the knockout game with three other men and made an anti-Semitic statement just before the incident

The “knockout game,” as it has been dubbed by the perpetrators, is when an attacker, usually a younger individual, aims to knock out a victim with a single sucker punch, explained USA Today. The game has been linked to assault reports in at least six states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington D.C. and suburban Philadelphia. The game has so far killed three people, according to ABC. Some of the assaults are recorded and posted on social media by the attackers.

The attacks are increasing Jewish communities throughout Brooklyn. A 78-year-old Jewish woman in Brooklyn was punched in the face by teens just two weeks ago. This attack has led to an investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Taskforce.

New York City Councilman David Greenfield told ABC that officials should send a message of “zero tolerance.” “That’s why I called on the NYPD and District Attorney’s Office to literally throw the book at these individuals and to charge them with many crimes, including hate crimes and gang assault, because that’s what it is,” Greenfield said.

The spate of attacks has also prompted Republican state Assemblyman Jim Tedisco to propose a bill that would classify the knockout game attacks as gang assaults, according to ABC. The bill would require that youths who participate in knockout attacks be tried as adults. They could face up to 25 years in prison if this legislation passes.

“These twisted and cowardly thugs are preying on innocent bystanders and they don’t care if the victims are young, old, a man or woman,” Tedisco told The Associated Press upon announcing the bill. “Life isn’t a video game. These are real people whose lives are not only being put in jeopardy but in many cases destroyed.”

New York police Sgt. Brendan Ryan told USA Today via e-mail that additional officers have been assigned to the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn.

On Monday, November 25, local Brooklyn leaders such as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-9), Brooklyn Borough President-Elect Eric Adams, Brooklyn District Attorney-Elect Ken Thompson, Assemblyman Karim Camara (AD-43), Councilmember-Elect Laurie Cumbo and community leaders addressed violence related to the knockout game.

“Random acts of violence, particularly when targeted at people on the basis of race or religion, will not be tolerated. If you violently participate in the knockout game, we will do everything in our power to make sure that the criminal justice system is there to knockout socially unacceptable behavior. We must also make sure that we positively reinforce young people throughout the community in a manner that promotes constructive activity by at risk youth,” said Rep Jeffries.

There have been several victims of the knockout game all over the country. There have been reports of similar assaults on innocent victims of all ages in New York, Illinois, Missouri and Washington D.C. In New Jersey, one man died as a result of injuries connected to the violent game.

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