HOBOKEN – A woman said she was simply walking down Washington Street on a sunny Sunday afternoon this past weekend when she suddenly got punched on the side of the head.
The woman said she was walking this past Sunday, April 17 around 4 p.m. near the intersection of Sixth Street.
“[The] victim was walking with her friend and an unknown male ran by her and punched her in the ear area, causing a bruise,” said Hoboken Police Sgt. Cruz in an email. “He continued to run and left the area.”
After officers combed the area, they were not able to identify the male — whom the victim described as a white male with a full beard and a sports hat.
According to Hoboken police officials, the victims did not suffer any serious injuries.
“As far as it being similar to the knock-out game, it does not look like it,” added Cruz, referring to the “game” wherein a crowd encourages a person to randomly punch a stranger. Rumors have said such a game is part of an initiation.
“You have to remember that this incident took place on a Sunday afternoon…where hundreds if not thousands of people were out enjoying the day,” Cruz said. “That is not the M.O. of someone who wants to play the knock out game.”
He said a person playing that game would want to do it with no witnesses.
But what would be the motive?
Cruz said it appeared to be a “random act.”
Three years ago, a trio of Jersey City teenagers allegedly playing the game punched a disabled homeless man in Hoboken, killing him with one blow. The youths served time and were released. See related links below. – Steven Rodas