The so-called “Knockout Game” has received media attention in Raleigh and across the nation. Reports indicate that groups of young men roam city streets and find people to punch and knock out.
According to a recent report, the “Knockout Game” has made its way into eastern North Carolina. Five assault arrests have been made in which four victims were allegedly attacked in one night in Hertford County.
Law enforcement officials have said one of the characteristics of the “Knockout Game” is that the group will typically seek out a lone person who is distracted at the moment of attack. In that way, the person never sees the punch coming, police have said.
One of the people attacked in Hertford County said, “The thing about [the suspects], they catch you when you’re not looking.”
The attacks were all on November 26, within hours of each other, a TV station reported.
Five arrests were made, though details were only available on three of the suspects: a 22-year-old man, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old male.
The report did not state if ages and names were withheld for the others because they are minors.
One of the Hertford County men attacked said he was at an Ahoskie car wash, leaning against a wall when the perpetrators came at him from one side. “(You) turn around and they hit you,” he told the station.
In his case, he said, he was punched in the head and throat by a pair of men.
The station reported that a separate attack happened that same evening in a laundromat across the street.
An assault conviction can result in a life-changing criminal record that makes job opportunities more difficult to find, and of course, it can mean jail time as well. Those accused of assault should speak with a criminal defense attorney about how their rights can best be protected.
Source: WAVY.com, “Five Arrested in NC Knockout Game Attacks,” by Jason Marks, Dec. 10, 2013