Victim accuses sucker punching New York Rangers fan of instigating trouble
One of the victims of the sucker punching incident that occurred on the world’s most well-known area on Thursday night time says that the suspect and his pal have been the instigators of the trouble.
Staten Island man James Anastasio, 29, was recognized by authorities as the person seen in a viral video launching an unprovoked assault towards a Lightning fan after the playoff sport, which New York lost.
In an interview with the New York Post, the 37-year-old sufferer who tried to intervene following the unique punch stated that it is ‘laughable’ to counsel that Anastasio can also be a sufferer.
The Good Samaritan stated that he was popping out of a luxurious suite when he noticed Anastasio and a pal making an attempt begin fights with anybody sporting a Tampa jersey ‘effectively earlier than that incident went down.’
That sufferer stated that the person seen within the video strolling forward of Anastasio with a t-shirt in his pocket was an ‘instigator.’
James Anastasio is proven in court docket on Friday night time after being arrested for brutally sucker-punching a rival fan on the New York Rangers sport on Thursday
The suspect has been launched on bond and is simply again in court docket on June 29
He stated that the person who was on the receiving finish of the sucker punch was additionally hit by a beer can. That man ‘did nothing incorrect,’ in accordance with the opposite sufferer.
He continued: ‘What you noticed on the video is precisely how they acted for 5 straight minutes up till that time. From me seeing them, I’m positive they have been wild the entire time. This was one thing in my thoughts that was premeditated.’
When requested about Anastasio’s lawyer, Jason Goldman’s, claims that the suspect tried to diffuse the scenario, the opposite sufferer referred to as that sentiment: ‘Laughable.’
Goldman stated: ‘We consider that Garden surveillance will verify the occasions instantly previous to the brief, viral clip captured on cellphone digital camera. James repeatedly tried to defuse and deescalate the scenario, one the place he was immensely outnumbered and in the end threatened by a gaggle of extremely intoxicated people.’
The suspect’s lawyer continued: ‘While he’s anxious for the remainder of his story to be revealed, he additionally trusts and respects the Court course of. We are assured that James will probably be vindicated as soon as all of the details come to mild.’
After pleading not responsible in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday night time, Anastasio was freed on supervised launch. According to the Post, Anastasio informed a reporter on Saturday: ‘I’m good. I’m good.’
While his father, additionally named James Anastasio, informed the Post that his son ‘didn’t know what occurred. Maybe you must name the opposite man and ask him that. What do you concentrate on that? Maybe you must ask him what he stated to impress anyone to try this?’
Anastasio informed cops following his arrest that he feared he would go viral after being caught on digital camera, saying: ‘Oh f**okay, this can be on the web.’
He was arrested late on Thursday night time and has made his first court docket look, sporting the identical purple Rangers shirt and gray sweatpants from the earlier night time.
Anastasio will return to court docket on June 29.
The viral video exhibits Anastasio in purple turning to punch the Lightning fan in blue as they made their approach out of Madison Square Garden on Thursday
The Lightning fan was knocked out chilly however reportedly refused medical consideration on the scene after he regained consciousness
It’s unclear precisely what prompted the Anastasio to snap. Video exhibits the pair strolling down the concourse at Madison Square Garden after the Lightning defeated the Rangers.
The Lightning fan gave the impression to be chanting one thing to taunt the rival followers. Anastasio was strolling out of the venue with a pal when he rotated and punched him.
He then fled the scene as dozens of frightened followers surrounded the sufferer. In the video, one could be heard saying: ‘He’s useless.’
According to a tweet from Center Ice Hockey, the sufferer is a lifelong Tampa fan named Alex.
The crew’s CEO Steve Griggs has reached out to Alex and promised to ship him a ‘bunch of playoff swag.’
The brother, who doesn’t need to be named, informed NBC: ‘We have been simply making an attempt to get out of there like everybody else after which, all of a sudden, a beer was thrown at us, and me and my brother type of separated in that second.
‘The subsequent factor I do know, I look over, I hear a thud on the bottom and it is my brother laying there.
‘The thud. You can hear it within the video. I’ll by no means get that sound out of my head. My brother’s head hitting the bottom.’
The sufferer was declined medical consideration after regaining consciousness. He and his brother flew again dwelling to Florida on Friday morning.
A witness, Corey Brill, informed WTSP that Alex was disorientated after being hit. Brill informed him: ‘I used to be like, ‘I don’t know you, I really feel I have to let you know, it is advisable to press prices, you have been simply assaulted.’
Anastasio’s father earlier informed The New York Post final night time that he could not defend his son’s actions.
Anastasio, proven final night time in court docket, was nonetheless sporting his Rangers shirt and sweatpants from Thursday’s sport
Anastasio is seen arriving at New York City Criminal Court after the unprovoked assault
‘Sometimes selections in our lives have penalties. There’s nothing to defend. It is what it’s. We’ll anticipate him to come back dwelling, we’ll decide him up, and all the things’s OK. Tomorrow’s a brand new day.’
The suspect lives alongside Salamander Court in Staten Island’s Charleston’s neighborhood.
The suspect’s landlord informed NBC New York that Anastasio ‘did not appear violent’ and that he was shocked by the video. The landlord stated in a separate interview with the Post that somebody will need to have ‘p****d off’ the suspect.
Anastasio’s lawyer Jason Goldman earlier informed DailyMail.com in an announcement: ‘We are in the very beginning stages of gathering and learning all the facts.’
‘For now, we want to assure James is released back to his family in a timely manner, then will turn our attention to defending him in court,’ he added.
Management on the Garden issued an announcement on Friday saying that the ‘assailant’ could be banned from the venue for all times, with out naming Anastasio.
‘Last night time, an abhorrent assault occurred towards a Tampa Bay fan on the conclusion of the sport — adopted by a second assault towards a person who bravely intervened,’ the assertion stated.
‘All company — it doesn’t matter what crew they help — ought to really feel protected and revered in The Garden,’ the venue added.
The Garden administration stated that the assaulted fan had been supplied with medical care and would get ongoing help from its visitor providers crew.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers struggle in the course of the third interval in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden
Thursday’s sport was Game 5 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals, and the Lightning beat the Rangers 3-1.
Ondrej Palat’s tip-in snapped a tie with 1:50 remaining in regulation after a New York turnover.
Tampa Bay secured their third straight journey to the Stanley Cup remaining on Saturday night time, with a 2-1 victory over the Rangers.
The Lightning have been 6-1 at dwelling within the postseason whereas the Rangers head into their sixth elimination sport with a 2-7 street mark within the playoffs.
Tensions have been clearly operating excessive on the ice at Thursday’s sport, which erupted right into a brawl between gamers after the ultimate horn.
Players on each groups dropped gloves after Lighting star Nikita Kucherov flung a meaningless shot off Rangers defenseman Adam Fox.
Coming off a 3rd consecutive loss and now dealing with elimination in Saturday’s Game 6, Fox took exception and retaliated by slashing the Russian-born winger.
Kucherov was naturally displeased and inside a second, a number of melees broke out concurrently across the ice.
The fundamental occasion featured Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and Rangers star Alexis Lafreniere – a pair of former first-overall draft picks.
The incident on the Garden comes as New York City crime stays excessive. Overall crime is up virtually 40 p.c in 2022 in comparison with the identical interval final year.
Every violent crime, besides homicide and shootings are up within the Big Apple with felony assault up 19 p.c, housebreaking up 32 p.c, and theft up 39 p.c.
Random assaults in New York City are additionally on the rise. On May 25, a 61-year-old Brooklyn man was killed when he was sucker punched by an attacker as he walked dwelling
Random assaults in New York City are additionally on the rise. On May 25, a 61-year-old Brooklyn man was killed when he was sucker punched by an attacker as he walked dwelling.
In a video of the assault launched by the NYPD, Victor Vega is seen strolling alongside two males earlier than the assault. After being senselessly punched, he’s seen falling on his again.
One of the 2 attackers, who’re nonetheless on the run, is seen rifling via Vega’s pockets, eradicating one thing f after which passing it to his confederate.
The pair are then seen casually strolling away as Vega lies lifeless on the street.
Police have dominated his loss of life a murder and proceed to seek for the 2 suspects.
Every violent crime, besides homicide, can also be up within the Big Apple with felony assault, housebreaking, and theft up considerably at 19, 32, and 39 p.c, respectively.
