State police have upgraded charges against a New Jersey man accused of beating a fan in the parking lot after the Jets beat the Chiefs at MetLife Stadium Sunday.
Merle Lee, 35, of Newton is free on bond, charged with aggravated assault.
State Police Sgt. Brian Polite says Lee was initially charged with simple assault. However, charges were upgraded after 23-year-old James Mohr's condition worsened.
Polite says the Queens resident got into a brief scuffle with some guys and the skirmish broke up on its own. Polite says Lee then "came out of the blue and punched Mohr in the face."
Polite says the incident "was not a Jets-Chiefs melee." He says witnesses told troopers there was no indication they were Kansas City fans.
Mohr is out of intensive care.
The operators of MetLife Stadium said Lee was immediately arrested.
"This is an unacceptable attack on one of our guests and we have been working with the New Jersey State Police to make sure the man arrested is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," MetLife officials said in a written statement.
Both security guards and New Jersey State Police work each game, they said, adding that arrests in the parking lot occur on average only every four games.
The Jets also released a statement.
"We have reached out to James to wish him a speedy and full recovery. Our organization works hard to provide fans with a safe and secure environment and there is no place for this type of behavior. We are working with the stadium and New Jersey State Police to be certain that any and all perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
At a press conference Wednesday, Jets coach Rex Ryan added, "We'll do something special for him when he's ready for that."
