No arrest made in assault at Comic-Con [Updated]

[Updated: The San Diego Police Department on Sunday morning corrected its earlier report on the incident, saying that no arrest has been made, pending further investigation.]

 A young man was arrested at the Comic-Con exposition Saturday and accused of stabbing another attendee with a pen, San Diego police said.

The two young men, both in their early 20s, were seated in Hall H, the convention center ballroom where studios parade stars and filmmakers, when one accused the other of sitting too close to him, police said. The two got into a fight, and one was stabbed near the eye with the pen, police said.

The fight occured before a panel discussion of the movie "Resident Evil: Afterlife."

The victim was taken out on a stretcher to a local hospital with a cut near his eye. The alleged assailant, wearing a Harry Potter t-shirt, was handcuffed, arrested and booked in jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Comic-Con, which ends Sunday, had been expected to draw a sold-out crowd of roughly 126,000 people.

A San Diego police sergeant told the news website Neon Tommy that the fight would not interrupt the convention: http://www.neontommy.com/news/2010/07/stabbing-comic-con.

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Comments

[Joe American]

Thats not very funny!

[Gary]

The pen: Mightier than the sword -- and here's one guy out to prove it. Book 'em, Danno.

It kind of makes you wonder if the attack was made with a Sharpie, the preferred marker of memorabilia autograph hounds and fanboys, or a more mature-friendly ball-point pen, though the attacker clearly must have had some maturity issues.

Ink color probably had no bearing on the extent of the injury, but it brings up other questions: Did he have to uncap the pen, which clearly is an indicator of first-degree assault, or was it a crime of passion in which he simply clicked and tried to draw a scar on the victim's face; was it fine tip, medium or large?

Also, in the area of weapons that might be found on one's person every day, was the pen a better weapon than keys, nail clippers or a comb? I routinely carry a pen (ball point) and keys, and it would be nice to know which weapon I should reach for if the need arises.

Finally, I don't like people sitting too close to me, either.

[Jonas Gravy]

NERD RAGE KWON DO.

Harry Potter uniform: CHECK.
Attending a comic book convention by yourself: CHECK
Using an OFFICIAL Resident Evil pen as a weapon: CHECK
Living in your parents basement at 30: PRICELESS

He's probably waiting for Superman to come and rescue him from prison.
MEGA-LOSER.

[Jo]

Comic con is just as dangerous as the Laughlin run. That's so funny. What next, Ray-gun attacks at the next Star Trek convention? Just can't go anywhere these days!

[Mark Z]

It is time for the sold out Comic Con to move to a larger venue where there is more room and where more people can attend. Las Vegas Convention Center and the surrounding hotels would be an excellent choice.

[NerdsRule]

Obviously, the guy with the Harry Potter shirt got angry when the other nerd insisted that a Jedi's Force was more powerful than a wizard's magic.

[iGONZO]

Geek on Geek violence!

[superhero]

" The alleged assailant, wearing a Harry Potter t-shirt" and "when one accused the other of sitting too close to him, police said. The two got into a fight, and one was stabbed near the eye with the pen, police said."

Dayam, gangstas show up at Geekfest!

[MKF]

I guess that guy who said "Spare the rod and spoil the child" new what he was talking about.

[Sal bando]

Why didn't the other guy just cast a spell on him or hit him with his light saber?

Geeezz

[Tigerloose]

When nerds go bad.

[MKF]

Man, those comic-book geeks are baad-a$$. I don't recall if I was tougher when I read them. I was around eight or nine.

[pottery]

Is this the first example of a violent crime perpetrated by a guy wearing a Harry Potter shirt? It has to be...

[Tornadoes28]

New Animal Planet show - "When Nerds Attack".

[Edge]

I guess it's safer watching this on G4 loser tv like my loser brother. Seems they have one of these things every month, either way I see no better way than to waste your time.