Posted on March 7, 2014

Bowery Assault Victim Confident He’s a Victim of ‘Knockout Game’

CBS New York March 6, 2014

Kyle Rogers woke up in an ambulance Sunday morning, completely unaware of the random attack that put him there.

The 23-year-old man and his parents then investigated, eventually tracking down surveillance video showing a man running up to Rogers and sucker-punching him before walking off.

Rogers, who broke his jaw and suffered facial lacerations, told CBS 2′s Jessica Schneider he’s positive he was a victim of a “knockout game” attack.

“I’m defenseless,” said Rogers, whose mouth is wired shut. “It’s one thing if he was looking me in the face, like squaring up, but, come on, from behind? It’s like a coward move.”

Police released the surveillance video Thursday and are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the suspect, described as a black man in his 20s.

Rogers had just left his friends at a bar on Spring Street and was walking north on the Bowery when the attack occurred around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. He was knocked unconscious and taken to Bellevue Hospital.

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Rogers and his family are making a plea to find the man who attacked him. They also want anyone involved in any of the “knockout game” attacks that flared up around the city late last year to understand that the pain and consequences are real. In the game, participants punch unsuspecting strangers for kicks.

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