A baseball game at Hackensack’s Foschini Park turned chaotic Sunday night when a knife-wielding man punched a spectator in the face, knocking him unconscious before fleeing the scene.
Hackensack police officers, along with Bergen County sheriff’s officers, rushed to the park at about 8:09 p.m. July 19 after initial reports of a large brawl. When officers arrived, they determined that a large-scale fight had not occurred, but rather a targeted assault on a person attending the game.
According to witnesses, the suspect began waving a pocketknife at people watching the baseball game. He then put the knife away and punched a 32-year-old man from Garfield in the face.
The force of the punch caused the victim to fall backward and strike his head on the ground, causing him to briefly lose consciousness.
Emergency crews, including Hackensack Fire Department personnel and RWJBarnabas Health Basic and Advanced Life Support from Hackensack University Medical Center, responded immediately to treat the victim. He was stabilized at the scene and transported to a local hospital for further medical care.
The suspect fled the park on foot after the assault. Responding police officers searched the surrounding area but were unable to locate him.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 30s. He was last seen wearing a New York Yankees baseball hat, a gray tank top, black shorts and black sneakers.
The investigation remains active and ongoing by the Hackensack Police Department.