WTF? "The Knockout Game". it's evidently spreading- and trending on social media [View all]

[cali]

The New York Police Department is investigating a series of unprovoked recent beatings as possible hate crimes, as they are increasingly occurring in predominantly Jewish neighborhoods.

According to police, bored teens are playing a game called “Knockout,” the purpose of which is to incapacitate a passing pedestrian with a single punch.

One teen interviewed by WTAE said that “t’s for the fun of it. It’s like when you were a little kid, running around and hitting people. Only now you’re grown, so you can knock ’em out.”

The NYPD is concerned that the game may be spreading beyond the Tri-State area, as reports have surfaced of similarly unprovoked attacks in Pittsburgh and St. Louis in recent weeks.

They suspect that the teens are trading videos of their “knockouts” via social media.

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/15/new-york-police-department-concerned-violent-knockout-game-spreading-via-social-media/

WASHINGTON - A terrifying new ‘game’ that’s already caused deaths in Syracuse, St. Louis and New Jersey is sweeping the nation, and it preys upon unsuspecting people walking the streets, anywhere.

A recent report from New York-based CBS 2 shed light on the growing trend, displaying unsettling footage of teens participating in this game – which goes by the name ‘Knockout’ – and involves randomly targeting passersby, with the ultimate goal being to knock them out with one punch as they walk by.

One victim shown in the footage was 46-year-old Ralph Santiago of Hoboken, N.J., who was found dead with his neck broken and head lodged between iron fence posts, according to NJ.com.

Video surveillance shows Santiago walking in an alleyway in broad daylight, and just as he’s about to pass a pack of teenagers, one launches the fatal, knockout blow.

<snip>

WASHINGTON - A terrifying new ‘game’ that’s already caused deaths in Syracuse, St. Louis and New Jersey is sweeping the nation, and it preys upon unsuspecting people walking the streets, anywhere.

A recent report from New York-based CBS 2 shed light on the growing trend, displaying unsettling footage of teens participating in this game – which goes by the name ‘Knockout’ – and involves randomly targeting passersby, with the ultimate goal being to knock them out with one punch as they walk by.

One victim shown in the footage was 46-year-old Ralph Santiago of Hoboken, N.J., who was found dead with his neck broken and head lodged between iron fence posts, according to NJ.com.

Video surveillance shows Santiago walking in an alleyway in broad daylight, and just as he’s about to pass a pack of teenagers, one launches the fatal, knockout blow.

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/11/16/potentially-fatal-knockout-game-targeting-strangers-may-be-spreading-to-d-c/