PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 A 19-year-old man died a week after he was brutally beaten during a soccer game at a West Valley park, and Phoenix police are now investigating the case as a homicide.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the victim, identified as Tumusifu Bazirake, died from his injuries on Thursday, Aug. 13. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.<\/p>\n
The attack occurred just after 8 p.m. on Aug. 6 at Sueno Park, located near 43rd Avenue and McDowell Road<\/a>. First responders were called to the scene after receiving reports of an unconscious man lying in a field.<\/p>\n 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 before passing away.<\/p>\n On Saturday afternoon, fences were put up blocking the goals on the soccer field at the park, which is in Maryvale. Meanwhile, the game has been taken off the field and moved across the parking lot.<\/p>\n On a normal day, neighborhood resident Santos Jimenez said the fields are packed with people.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, there are leagues that they play here,\u201d Jimenez said. \u201cEspecially when there\u2019s a lot of people on the sidelines, it gets really rowdy.\u201d<\/p>\n Jimenez said he wonders if the tragedy that unfolded a little over a week ago is to blame for the goals being blocked.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it sounds to me like he got jumped,\u201d Jimenez said.<\/p>\n As of Saturday, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not yet identified any suspects.<\/p>\n The family has started a GoFundMe campaign<\/a> to help cover medical and funeral expenses.<\/p>\n The Phoenix Police Department is asking anyone with information about the attack to call detectives or leave an anonymous tip with Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377), or 480-TESTIGO (480-837-8446) for Spanish speakers.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n