New York police are asking for the public’s help to identify several men wanted for assaulting a San Antonio Spurs fan in the early hours after the Knicks’ Game 3 loss in the NBA Finals.
The NYPD released photos of the suspects on Tuesday, describing a violent encounter that unfolded around 12:17 a.m. near Madison Square Garden. According to authorities, the group threw punches, kicked the victim, and tore off the Spurs jersey he was wearing as he walked back to his hotel.
The 39-year-old victim was treated at a local hospital for injuries that are not considered life-threatening. The suspects fled on foot, and their current whereabouts remain unknown.
The attack came hours after a chaotic viewing party in Manhattan’s Bryant Park, where dejected Knicks fans climbed light poles, hurled objects at officers, and ripped street signs out of the ground. Police described the scene as “incredibly reckless.”
The area around Madison Square Garden was largely closed to the public Monday night due to heightened security for President Donald Trump’s attendance at the game. That decision followed earlier criticism by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who accused Trump of disrupting the game and sleeping in his VIP box.
In total, eight people were arrested during the postgame unrest, two of them for assaulting a police officer. Another 13 individuals received criminal court summonses. The broader unrest underscored the tension surrounding the series, with the Knicks facing elimination and a partisan crowd already on edge.
The NYPD is urging anyone with information about the suspects to come forward. The investigation remains active as police work to identify all those involved in the attack on the Spurs fan.
