Port Orchard police will ask Kitsap County prosecutors to reduce charges for a 25-year-old man who was involved in an April 3 assault incident at a local sports bar.

Commander Geoffrey said Wednesday that the continuing investigation lead to the discovery of a relationship between the suspect, white male, and the 56-year-old victim — a black male.

“It a more clear motive other than race-related,” Marti said. “There seems to be an issue involed in the relationship between the two people.”

Marti said police would ask that the original charges be reduced to fourth degree assault.

The suspect was arrested April 8 for assaulting the victim in the parking lot of a local sports bar. He was booked into the Kitsap County Jail on suspicion of malicious harassment — a class C felony. He also was wanted for failure to appear in court and bail was set at $30,000.

According to a police report, the victim called officers about an hour after he was assault on April 3 by the suspect. He reported to police he was at the End Zone Sports Pub with his son and was involved in an argument with the suspect, based on the suspect using the ‘N’ word.

The suspect got behind the victim and kicked him in the leg and both parties exchanged words, the report stated.

The victim told police he went outside and the suspect continued to “trash talk” him and hit him in the head. The 56-year-old man said he was defending himself when he was struck from behind with an unknown object. He said the suspect kicked him in the face while he was on the ground.

The pub’s owner and son broke up the altercation between the two men, the report stated.

The victim refused medical or police assistance, the owner stated.

Police followed up with the victim and found him at an urgent care facility with severe injuries.