This is exactly why many people root for orange and blue to take an L.
A celebration of the New York Knicks’ dramatic NBA Finals Game 4 victory turned tragic when a 17-year-old boy was brutally beaten and left in a coma outside Madison Square Garden, according to ABCNews. The disturbing attack led to an intensive search for the suspects involved.
According to NYPDthe incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. on June 10, shortly after the Knicks completed their historic 107-106 comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The teenager was standing in a crowd on West 35th Street near Eighth Avenue when a verbal confrontation between rival basketball fans quickly turned violent. Authorities say the trouble began when a man wearing Spurs gear repeatedly yelled “Spurs in 7” while surrounded by unruly Knicks fans celebrating the victory. Witnesses said another fan responded with insults aimed at Spurs, escalating tensions between the fan bases. Although the 17-year-old was not the person involved in the initial exchange, police say he became the target when a fight broke out.
“The dispute escalated and the individuals continued to punch and kick the victim around the head and body, causing the victim to suffer a seizure and subsequently fall into a coma,” police said in a statement.
The assault was captured on a live stream and circulated online, sparking outrage from viewers and renewed concerns about fan violence surrounding the NBA Finals. The victim suffered a seizure after the attack and was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. Police said he later fell into a coma as a result of his injuries.
The NYPD has released photos of at least one suspect and is asking the public for help identifying those responsible. The case is being investigated as a gang assault.
The incident is the latest in a string of disturbing incidents of violence linked to the Knicks’ Finals run that BOSSIP has previously reported on. Earlier this week, Spurs fans reported being attacked by groups of Knicks supporters after Game 3, while dozens of arrests were made during postgame chaos in Manhattan. Players from both teams, including Spurs star Victor Wembanyama (who was hit in the head with an egg after Game 4), have condemned the violence and urged fans to remember that basketball rivalries should never lead to physical harm.
Good luck controlling the uncivilized sporting savages that inhabit the concrete jungle.
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