The man who attacked
WWE Hall of Famer
Bret Hart at Saturday's 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn has been identified as 26 year old Zachary Madsen from Nebraska, according to
CBS New York.
It was reported earlier, via Arash Markazi of The Los Angeles Times, that the man was charged with 2 counts of 3rd degree assault and disorderly conduct. However, that report may have been premature as CBS Sports reported that Madsen was taken to the NYPD's 78th Precinct in Brooklyn to be charged with two counts of assault and trespassing. The main CBS website then noted that the man was still being held in custody while the charges were being filed, at around midnight ET. That report said Madsen faced two counts of assault, one count of trespassing and a misdemeanor charge of violation of local law.
CBS reports that the man also caused minor injuries to a security guard who tried to hold him down, in addition to the minor injuries Hart suffered. It was noted that the man punched Bret at least once, but Bret did not need medical attention. The man tackled Bret as he and
Natalya were doing the induction for The Hart Foundation.
As noted, WWE issued a statement on the incident and said the man has been turned over to the proper authorities. You can see their statement below:
"An over-exuberant fan surpassed our security at ringside and made his way briefly into the ring. The individual has been turned over to the proper authorities."
Shane McMahon, Curtis Axel, Heath Slater, RAW Tag Team Champion Dash Wilder, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Travis Browne (boyfriend of RAW Women's Champion
Ronda Rousey and former UFC fighter), The New Day,
Titus O'Neil and Bret himself are now being reported as the ones who physically got involved with the attacker.
A Facebook account linked to a Zach Madsen from Lincoln, Nebraska notes that he is an amateur MMA fighter. Madsen also has an interesting Twitter account at
@iAmMad______sen, where he has made several recent bizarre tweets tagging Vince McMahon, Triple H, WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, SmackDown Women's Champion
Charlotte Flair,
Becky Lynch and others.
On April 3, he tweeted a bizarre photo and wrote, "ROAD TRIP!! I want to say THANK YOU to
@VinceMcMahon for helping guide US to the Main evenT of #WrestleMania35 #WWE It's been an honor to Bounce Off Brilliance. Look what WE started. We're going to have to take the BATMOBILE though, seeing as my car has a ... DENT."
Madsen continued that same day, "The Clown Prince of Rhyme will be headed to New Jersey on Friday with or without his two best friends, Batman and Harvey, unless other transportation is booked prior to then. Again. Thank you so much
@VinceMcMahon You are my hero!"
He made another tweet on his bizarre road trip the next day. Madsen wrote, "Please keep in mind that my check engine light is on, I've driven well over 5000 miles without an oil change and I don't have a GPS. Additionally, the only bigger joke than my car, is my sense of direction. It might be easier to book me a flight
@VinceMcMahon YOU have 24-30 hrs"