A scary scene unfolded at Madison Square Garden on Thursday as fans poured out of the Mecca after the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final.
In now-viral videos on Twitter, a Rangers fan can be seen punching a Lightning fan, knocking him out cold.
The fan, who wore a Tampa Bay jersey, hit the floor and appeared immobile and unconscious in fan-captured videos shared online.
James Anastasio, 29, of Staten Island, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, two counts of disorderly conduct, and two counts of harassment, cops confirmed to The Post.
According to police, there was an interaction between the individuals involved prior to the assault. A witness had previously claimed the incident was unprovoked, per an NYPD spokesperson.
The victim, who was not named, refused medical attention at the scene. Police said he was suffering from pain and bruising.
After the punch, the attacker then attempted to run away and when the eyewitness tried to stop him from fleeing the arena, he was punched in the face by the suspect. Police said the eyewitness sustained pain and bruising to his face, but refused medical attention.
Nearby fans can be heard yelling for security in videos from the incident.
Then Friday, Garden officials condemned the incident and banned Anastasio from all their venues for life. The Garden is also cooperating in an on-going investigation into the incident.
“Last night, an abhorrent assault took place against a Tampa Bay fan at the conclusion of the game — followed by a second assault against an individual who bravely intervened,” the Garden said in a statement. “First, we ensured the victims received appropriate medical care and have followed up to provide support from our guest services team.”
“All guests — no matter what team they support — should feel safe and respected in The Garden. This has and always will be our policy.”
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