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[Saba Sports News] An Indiana Pacers fan is facing serious charges after allegedly stabbing two New York Knicks fans during a violent altercation at a local brewery.
Jarrett Funke, 24, of Carmel, Indiana, has been charged with three felonies, including battery with a deadly weapon, stemming from the incident that occurred during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 23, according to David Gay of FOX 59.
The confrontation began inside the bar, where the victims said Funke approached their table and slapped a Knicks hat off one of their heads.
He was removed from the area while reportedly shouting profanities. Minutes later, after the Knicks fans had relocated to a patio, Funke allegedly returned by forcing his way through a fence and began attacking them.
One of the Knicks fans reportedly pulled out a pocketknife in an attempt to deter Funke, but the situation escalated. According to court documents, Funke allegedly stabbed one victim in the back and the other in the lower leg.
Funke claimed to police that he was acting in self-defense after being punched in the face by the Knicks fans. However, multiple eyewitnesses told investigators that Funke was the aggressor in the altercation.
Tensions between Knicks and Pacers fans have flared during the series. In a separate incident at Game 2 in New York, a Pacers fan was reportedly shoved but the situation did not escalate to violence.
The series itself remains heated as well, with the Pacers holding a 2-1 lead after the Knicks mounted a dramatic comeback in Game 3 to avoid a 3-0 hole.