A 24-year-old Indiana man, Jarrett Funke, has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly stabbing two New York Knicks fans at a brewery in Carmel, Indiana, during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The incident occurred on Friday night, May 23, 2025, at Danny Boy Beer Works, adding a violent note to the already heated playoff series between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks.
According to court documents, Carmel Police responded to a disturbance call at the brewery, located in the 12700 block of Meeting House Road, near West Main Street and Towne Road, just before 11 p.m. The documents state that Funke was allegedly harassing two individuals for supporting the New York Knicks. The situation escalated when Funke approached the first victim and smacked his orange Knicks hat off his head, followed by a barrage of obscenities.
Funke's father attempted to intervene, wrapping his arms around his son to prevent further altercation. However, as the first victim was picking up his hat, Funke allegedly continued his verbal assault, yelling, "F you, you still have a fing problem. Take this outside!" Despite his father's efforts to restrain him, the situation remained tense.
Approximately five minutes later, after a brief period of calm, the two Knicks fans went outside to the back patio to smoke a cigarette. Funke allegedly "stormed through the fence" and launched an attack on the second victim. During the ensuing scuffle, the second victim and Funke ended up on the ground. The first victim intervened, grabbing Funke and urging him to "chill the f*** out." Funke then reportedly left the scene in an "aggressive manner" and drove away.
Following the incident, the first victim discovered a laceration on his leg, sustained on the stoop of the back patio. The second victim had been stabbed in the back. The first victim told police that he remembered Funke repeatedly placing his right hand inside his hoodie while making stabbing motions toward the second victim.
Authorities apprehended Funke and booked him at the Hamilton County Jail. He faces charges including battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct. The Level 5 felony convictions carry a potential sentence of one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, while the Level 6 felony carries the same fine and a prison sentence of six to thirty months.
During an interview with law enforcement, Funke claimed that the Knicks fans were the aggressors, stating that they were "talking s---" and initiated the altercation. However, multiple witnesses at the brewery identified Funke as the primary aggressor. One of the victims admitted to briefly displaying a black folding pocket knife to deter Funke, but stated he re-pocketed it, as he had no intention of using it.
A judge set Funke's bond at $20,000 cash or surety and issued a no-contact order, prohibiting him from contacting either of the victims. The victims were treated for their injuries, which were reported as non-life-threatening.
The incident occurred during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, a game the Indiana Pacers won 114-109 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This win gave the Pacers a 2-0 lead in the series. The Pacers currently lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
This is not the first instance of tensions boiling over between fans during this playoff series. Previously, a Knicks fan threw garbage at a man wearing a Tyrese Haliburton Pacers jersey while celebrating their Eastern Conference semifinal victory over the Boston Celtics.
