Police ID N.J. man Tasered, charged in Society Hill Sheraton wedding brawl

Philadelphia police have announced that a man has been charged for his alleged involvement in a wedding brawl at the Society Hill Sheraton that was caught on camera early Sunday morning.

Matthew Sofka, 26, of the 500 block of Edgar Road in Westfield, N.J., has been charged with aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and riot for allegedly assaulting an officer during the throwdown, police said. Investigators confirmed that Sofka, who can be seen in the video posted on YouTube yesterday wrestling with a sergeant, was one of the main combatants and had to be Tasered in order to be subdued.

According to Sofka’s Facebook page, his interests include the New York Giants, the New York Rangers, PubCrawls.com and Bud Light.

Investigators said yesterday that the late-night melee in the hotel lobby, which involved an estimated 75 to 100 people, was touched off by an alcohol-fueled argument between family members of one wedding party. But the fight soon spilled over to include guests of a second wedding party as they returned to the hotel following their reception. The brawl became so large that responding officers radioed for an assist that encompassed nearly the entire city.

A 57-year-old man who police said was believed to have been involved in the argument died of a heart attack when he stepped outside the hotel. He was pronounced at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital shortly before 3 a.m.

Police said today that the investigation is ongoing and they expect more charges will be filed in the future.

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