Teenage NBA Fan Fighting for His Life as NYPD Hunts Suspect in Postgame Attack Outside MSG After Knicks Win

After Game 3 of the NBA Finals, at least 21 people were arrested, and after Game 4, 56 people were taken into custody. But the NYPD is on the hunt as an incident unfolded near midnight on Wednesday, June 10, just two blocks from Madison Square Garden. Where a 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma after the New York Knicks’ improbable comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The NYPD issued a wanted notice for a suspect in a gang assault. Where a group confronted a 17-year-old near 237 W 35th St in Manhattan, leading to punches and kicks that caused the victim to suffer a seizure and enter a coma. The released photo shows a Black male with curly hair wearing a black-and-white striped referee-style shirt. Now, the authorities request tips via 800-577-TIPS or @NYPDTips to identify him.

“The dispute escalated, and the individuals proceeded to punch and kick the victim about the head and body, causing the victim to suffer a seizure and subsequently go into a coma,” police said in a statement. PEOPLE reviewed the livestream video, which apparently caught the incident.

A 17-year-old boy was beaten into a coma near Madison Square Garden following Game 4 of the NBA Finals, New York City police said Friday while releasing a photo of a suspect sought in connection with the assault. https://t.co/ZxFpumnHO1

— ABC News (@ABC) June 12, 2026

It reports that a fan in Spurs colors is seen shouting “Spurs in 7” within a massive crowd of excited Knicks fans. It escalated when, in return, “F— the Spurs, suck my d—,” erupted. This triggered a chain reaction that led the streamer and others to throw punches.

Now, the teen who suffered the wrath suffered a seizure, then went into a coma. The police further reported that, after the efforts of Bellevue Hospital, the teen is no longer in a coma but remains in critical and stable condition. A verbal dispute led to a near-fatal blow as rowdy celebrations swept through the city.

At multiple locations blocks from the Garden, rowdy fans got into fistfights, climbed scaffolding and poles, blocked Midtown Manhattan traffic, set off fireworks, ripped down street signs, broke down a restaurant, and even fought with the police. The NYPD confirmed that around 10,000 Knicks fans flooded the area around the Garden between Fifth and Eighth Avenues. In fact, ten police officers were injured, and one apparently suffered a shot to the head with a glass bottle.

San Antonio fan also passed away due to a blow to the head

The recent incident happened in New York, but after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the streets of San Antonio were filled with Spurs fans and their cars for the ‘honking’ tradition. Unfortunately, during that celebration, Jose “Joey” Luis Rodriguez III fell out of an SUV and suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury. It was near the 300 block of West Dickson Avenue, just north of Southwest Military Drive. He had been fighting for his life before being removed from life support.

Rodriguez’s aunt, Yvonne Hudson, revealed that the teen’s first attempt to attend the celebration received a flat no from his mother. But Joey assured that a parent would accompany them, which was never the case. He was sitting at the passenger window before the SUV hit a curb, and he flew out of the car.

Hudson revealed that Rodriguez did not have a pulse for eight minutes while he was being transferred to a local trauma center. And there, the teen was soon declared brain dead. After every passing game, the NYPD and SAPD are bringing in new rules to make the streets safer for the fans. But the rowdy nature has taken over on multiple occasions. Even Victor Wembanyama had to suffer a hit to the head from the Knicks fans.

“I can confirm that multiple eggs were thrown in the direction of Victor Wembanyama late last night outside the Spurs Hotel,” Charania said on NBA Today. “As of right now, the New York Police Department has not made any arrests, though, and the Spurs are on their way back to San Antonio today for Game 5.” For now, it seems the Spurs and Wemby did not file any report, so the police have taken no action on it.

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