Suspect accused of possible hate crime assault 'knockout' in Brooklyn

New York Police have arrested a man and charged him with aggression as a crime of hatred after a 24-year-old says he was hit in the face.Police on Saturday were investigating if it was part of an attack called "knockout", in which the object is to knock out an innocent person with a punch. The man said he heard a group of talking about it until he was beaten.Police say the victim told them that he was walking in Brooklyn 2:45 on Friday when he was beaten once. He was not seriously injured.Amrit Marajh, 28, of Brooklyn, was arrested on charges of assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime because the victim is Jewish. It was not clear if he had an attorney.Three other detainees were released.Police are investigating similar incidents, including in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. At least two deaths have been linked to attacks this year.New York Police has deployed additional agents to the districts of the city where at least seven attacks occurred in recent weeks, including an assault a 78-year-old woman.Authorities and psychologists say that the "knockout" assaults have been around for decades - or more - and that is played mostly by impulsive teenagers to impress your friends.© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material does not may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.