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On Monday, security footage captured a 36-year-old man being assaulted and knocked out at the Kings Plaza Mall in NYC.
As per authorities, the attack appeared to be random. The victim is seen standing in the shopping mall when the assailants appear from behind, punching him. The 36-year-old man can then be seen lying still on the floor.
The security cameras captured the assailants fleeing the scene of the crime. They have not been identified.
The attack is under investigation by the NYPD, and they suspect that the victim and the attackers were not known to one another.
The NYC assault may be due to a viral online challenge
According to NYC authorities, if the assault is random, it may be an example of the viral 'knockout game,' in which suspects punch strangers from behind. The 'game' is typically filmed and uploaded online.
As per CBS, the 'knockout game' has a precedent in NYC, as authorities have reported a string of random attacks that follow the same pattern of suspects, who sucker punch civilians and then quickly flee.
Reverend Al Sharpton was vocal about the damaging effects of the so-called 'knockout game' when it first became popular in 2013. He implied that the assaults might be racially charged, though both the victims and the suspects are often from diverse backgrounds.
He said:
"If someone was running around talking about knocking out blacks, we would not be silent. We cannot be silent."
In a press release, David Greenfield, an NYC councilman, said that often Jewish New Yorkers had been the victim of the knockout game.
He said:
"The message we want to send is very clear, it's not funny, it's not a game. "'Knockout' is a serious attack, it's not a game. If you keep doing it you will get caught and you will get sent to prison for a very long time."
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, the potentially deadly game has spread worldwide. In Australia, the game is referred to as the 'King hit.' The New South Wales Government began rebranding it as the 'Coward Punch' to avoid glorifying the attacks.
The family of Daniel Christie, a man who was reportedly assaulted in the game, discussed the rebranding.
In a family statement, they said:
"We don't agree with the popular term king hit."
It continued:
"We have heard it referred to as a 'coward punch', which seems to be more appropriate."
The assault has been condemned by governments worldwide, with many condemning that the attacks have been called a 'game' in NYC. While incidents related to the label waned after 2014, the NYC Kings Mall attack may indicate that it persists among certain circles.
