Minneapolis Man Charged With Postgame Attack on Soccer Coach

A Minneapolis man has been charged with attacking a soccer coach after a game last month at Armatage Park. 

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 9, the altercation arose over a necklace. Police said that a referee asked a 15-year-old player to remove a necklace and give it to his coach, which the player did. After the game, the player claimed he had given the coach two necklaces, but the coach said he'd only been given one and proceeded to empty his pockets to show the player. 

The player became angry and an argument ensued. After the game the coach took about 20 minutes to search the field to see if he could find another necklace, at which point three men returned to the field. 

"The group [of adults] told Victim to empty his pockets," police wrote in a report on the incident. "Victim refused and took out his cell phone to call 911. Suspect 1 then punched Victim in the face with a closed fist and attempted to take Victim’s cell phone from his hand. Suspect 2 went behind Victim and put him in a chokehold. One of the suspects then grabbed the Park Board van key off a lanyard that Victim had across his neck and took it. The group then left the area."

The coach suffered only a small cut as a result of the attack but had to wait hours for a spare van key to be brought to the field. 

Alexis Ruiz Benitez was identified in a lineup as the man who punched the coach. 

Ruiz Benitez is currently not in police custody and police say he is also wanted on threats of violence charges in another case