New Jersey

Irate Man Storms Onto NJ Hockey Rink, Rips off His Shirt and Taunts Players: Police

What to Know

  • The man appeared on the hockey rink, yelling and berating players as he ripped off his shirt and showed off his tattoos
  • Police say he was angry because a deceased friend's jersey was no longer hanging up at the rink
  • There was concern he was displaying a swastika tattoo and targeting the Jewish players, but police no longer believe this to be the case

A man angry over a missing jersey interrupted a hockey game in New Jersey to taunt players over their lack of skills and show them his tattoos, police say.

Members of the Jewish Men’s Hockey Club were playing a game at the Winding River Ice Rink in Toms River on Saturday night when a man with a shaved head and tattoos walked past employees and onto the rink, according to police.

The man began taunting and making gestures towards the players before ripping off his shirt and yelling, police said. A short time later, he got in a white pickup truck and drove off.

Officers caught up with the man and questioned him. He told them he was in the area and decided to stop by the rink to see if his deceased friend’s jersey was still hanging up there.

When he couldn’t find his friend’s jersey, he became angry. He told police the hockey players’ lack of skills also angered him, so he ripped off his shirt and taunted them and showed them his hockey tattoos.

Initially, officers had been told the man was showing off a swastika tattoo and there was concern he may have been targeting the Jewish players. But he showed officers his tattoos and police said he didn’t appear to have any swastikas on him.

Police also said they believe the man was not aware that a Jewish league was playing at the time and that his entrance onto the rink was random.

Detectives are reviewing the case to decide if he should face any charges.

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