CARMEL, Ind.— A 24-year-old Pacers fan was officially charged on Tuesday in connection with the stabbing of a Knicks supporter during an Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 watch party held at a brewery in Carmel, Indiana on May 23, [according to a report](https://nypost.com/2025/05/27/sports/pacers-fan-allegedly-stabbed-knicks-supporter-at-indiana-brewery-during-playoff-game/).
The defendant, Jarrett Funke, faces one count each of battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon. Collectively, these charges carry a maximum potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
An employee of the brewery, Danny Boy Beer Works, told authorities that he saw Funke briefly leave the event only to return and shockingly stab the Knicks fan in the back.
While it’s unclear which party was the aggressor of the altercation, the victim alleged that Funke approached him at the brewery and “smacked” a Knicks hat off their head.
After being told to leave, Funke allegedly returned to the scene, telling authorities that the Knicks fan had continued to “talk s\*\*t” to him — prompting Funke to confront the victim with a pocketknife.
The Knicks fan sustained a minor lung tear and a broken rib, while a second man involved in the incident suffered a leg laceration from a fall. According to the report, both men were “bleeding profusely.”
Tensions between Knicks and Pacers fans were already running high before the two teams officially began their best-of-seven series. In one [incident](https://www.silive.com/sports/2025/05/watch-wild-scenes-outside-of-msg-after-knicks-make-east-final-for-first-time-in-25-years.html), Knicks supporters were caught on camera in Manhattan throwing trash and shouting insults at a man wearing a Pacers jersey following New York’s second-round win over Boston.
A pretrial hearing for Funke is scheduled for Aug. 5, with his trial set to begin on Sept. 8.
The Knicks will look to stave off elimination when they host the Pacers at Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Thursday night at 8 p.m.