PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A 19-year-old man has died one week after he was brutally beaten during a soccer game at a park, and Phoenix police are now investigating the case as a homicide.
Investigators say the victim, identified as Tumusifu Bazirake, died from his injuries on Thursday. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.
The attack occurred just after 8 p.m. on Aug. 6 at Sueno Park, located near 43rd Avenue and McDowell Road. First responders were called to the scene after receiving reports of an unconscious man lying in a field.
Investigators learned Bazirake had been playing soccer when a fight broke out. Police said multiple people attacked him and fled the area before officers arrived. He was rushed to a local hospital in extremely critical condition, where he fought for his life for a week before passing away.
No arrests have been made, and detectives have not yet identified any suspects.
The Phoenix Police Department is asking anyone with information about the attack to call them or leave an anonymous tip with Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (480-837-8446) for Spanish speakers.
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