Nicole Guzzardi One of the scuffles took place outside of Veselka.

Two men were arrested on Third Avenue and St. Marks Place after brawling in the streets Sunday morning, the police said.

Imer Skepi, 25, and Adem Radoncic, 24, were apprehended on the bustling block around 3:30 a.m. after a man said he was hit and pushed.

A witness told The Local that a gang consisting of three men – one of whom seemingly escaped – tangled with as many as eight bystanders as they roved from Avenue A to Third Avenue.

The first attack came on St. Marks Place, near Crif Dogs, the witness said. “There were three guys hitting one guy, but then there were other random guys trying to help, so it became a big melee,” said Angelo, who insisted his last name be withheld.

The victim, accompanied by a woman who tried to stop the scuffle, didn’t seem to know his attackers. “The guy came up from it pretty banged up and he was like, ‘Who were those guys?’” said the witness.

That’s when the group began challenging everyone around them. “They threatened every person they encountered – girls, guys, whoever. As they kept walking down the block this ball of rage just started growing bigger and bigger,” Angelo said. “It radiated hatred and bad news. They were just completely inebriated. I decided to follow them down the block and I could hear the first one say, ‘Damn, I think I just broke my hand,’ followed by his cohort saying, ‘I think I just broke my hand.’”

At the corner of St. Marks and First Avenue, they threatened more people, and then got into a second brawl at Ninth Street and Second Avenue, Angelo said. “By the time I caught up to them they were already beating up the next group of people they had run into,” the witness recalled. “Everyone was confused and bewildered. They didn’t know what to do – they were just watching.”

The trio continued to the corner of St. Marks and Third Avenue, where there was another scuffle. “A guy emerged with a bloody forehead and nose,” said Angelo, who at that point was able to identify one of the men to an undercover police officer. Another fled into the St. Marks Alehouse only to be marched back out by a group of bystanders. “He didn’t resist because he knew these five guys were about to make a citizens arrest,” said the witness.

The two men professed innocence as they were arrested, according to the witness. “The guys started to say, ‘What? It’s not us. These guys just tried to jump us.’ Everyone on the street was like, ‘What, are you crazy? You just rolled up on everybody here – you guys are losers.’ there was a big angry crowd wanting to lynch these two guys.”

Mr. Skepi faces charges of misdemeanor assault and Mr. Radoncic was charged with disorderly conduct.