They held a news conference Sunday afternoon to call on the community to stop these kinds of crimes.
"It is not a game. It's a lose-lose situation, and we must come together to knock out the knockout game," Pastor E.A. Deckard of Greenhouse International Church said.
The game that has made headlines in the last few weeks has proved to be a rallying point for this group of religious and community leaders.
Prosecutors say a 79-year-old Katy man -- who has not been identified for fear of his safety -- was attacked last month because he was black, elderly and alone.
It was part of a so-called knockout game in which people ambush others with a sucker punch. The goal, then, is to knock them out and catch the entire assault on video.
"It is the height of cowardice to steal off on an unsuspecting individual when they are not looking," community activist Deric Muhammad said.
Conrad Barrett, 27, has been charged with a federal hate crime in the Katy attack. Court documents claim he bragged about it to an off-duty police officer.
According to this group of leaders, they don't condemn the attack because it involves a white man against a black man. They said they condemn it because it is a crime against all.
"It is a vile, sick and barbaric form of urban recreation, and we believe that anyone who believes that this is a game is not living in reality," Muhammad said.
The group is calling for parents to engage in conversation with their children and encourage them to stay away from the violence.
"We must come together as united front to make sure this generation has an opportunity to advance and create an opportunity for themselves," Deckard said.
Barrett is being held without bond.
Find Karla on Facebook at ABC13KarlaBarguiarena or on Twitter at @KarlaABC13
Take ABC13 with you!
Download our free apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices
