Jets fan taped punching female Patriots fan has arrest record

NEW YORK The parents of a Jets fan seen in a video punching a female Patriots fan in the face at MetLife Stadium are continuing to come to their son's defense, claiming the woman was the aggressor.

The father of 38-year-old Kurt Paschke said his son was defending himself after being attacked by "aggressive Patriot fans."

"He was there with his mother and he was trying to make sure she was OK," Kurt Paschke, Sr. told WCBS New York. "When (he) got grabbed from behind, pulled backwards, he had no idea what was going to happen next."

The video was taken at the stadium during or after the Jets' 30-27 overtime victory on Sunday. In the video, a man wearing a No. 80 Jets jersey, later identified as Paschke, is seen punching a woman in the face. The woman is wearing what appears to be a red and white Patriots shirt.

Paschke's mother Colleen, who witnessed the fight, said the Patriots fans were heckling their group from kickoff and after the game, the tension exploded.

She insists her son was trying to break up the fight.

"He went over to pull them off the guy and girl and that's when they grabbed my son and started punching him," she said. "One guy was holding him while the other guy punched him."

Paschke's father said the Patriots' fans were upset that they lost and "were going to take it out on somebody."

"These were not young ladies who were walking down the street and got attacked by my son," he said. "These people who say 'you never punch a girl' don't know what the hell they're talking about."

He also said the entire incident has been blown out of proportion.

"Because it was caught on video, this has gone ridiculous," he said.

Colleen Paschke said her son is devastated that his love for the Jets has put him in the wrong kind of spotlight.

"He's very upset about this," she said. "He really is a true fan and he was just trying to move on and keep things going. He was not looking to start a fight."

The 38-year-old has a criminal history. In 2011, he was caught serving alcohol to minors while bartending.

He also served three years in prison from 1995 to 1998 on a conviction of criminally negligent homicide, according to information from the New York State Department of Corrections. He was convicted in 1995.

The New York Daily News reported Kurt Paschke was convicted of stabbing a 17-year-old to death behind a pizza parlor in Sayville. The Department of Corrections information only confirmed he was convicted of fatally stabbing a teenager.

His parents said he was wrongly convicted.

Kurt Paschke was interviewed by police after the fight, as were the other people involved. Initially, he was told no charges would be filed, but now, New Jersey State Police have only said the investigation is ongoing.

The Jets said in a statement, "We are aware of the situation and we do not tolerate that behavior. Parties involved were detained and this matter is now in the hands of the New Jersey State Police."