A twisted game is being blamed for the death of a homeless man in Hoboken. The game is called “knockout” and consists just of sucker punching a stranger that you randomly pass on the street.
Police have increased patrols in Brooklyn and are looking into a hate-crime investigation after seven attacks in the last year — all Jewish victims attacked by young black teenagers.
In September, three teenagers brutally beat Ralph Erick Santiago, 46, for absolutely no reason other than the fact he was there, reports the New York Daily News. A 14 year-old and two 13 year-olds punched him, causing him to fall onto an iron fence, where he got his head stuck and died.
Santiago’s ex-wife said he had been similarly attacked before, almost three decades ago. He was the victim of a random assault that left him disabled and in a coma for a month. In light of the current incident, she said, “Until there’s a conviction, I’m not going to feel that closure.”
The “game” is being investigated as being linked to seven other recent attacks in Brooklyn. It is suspected to be the cause of the death of a St. Louis man in 2011, as well.