The victims were punched and kicked by two men near the Jolly Giant Commons on Granite Avenue early Saturday morning. They were taken to Mad River Community Hospital, where they were treated and released later that morning.
The attack does not appear to be related to the assault near the Art Building last weekend, which remains under investigation.
The suspects in the latest assault were described as one white male and one Polynesian male. There were no weapons known to be involved, but the injuries inflicted were serious enough that police are considering the assault a felony.
Campus police officers were dispatched to the scene at about 1:35 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, after a reported disturbance. Officers arrived in less than three minutes, and found one male student unconscious with head and facial injuries, and the second with a split chin. The assailants had reportedly fled in vehicles just as the officers were arriving on-scene. Arcata Police, Arcata Fire, and Arcata Ambulance personnel arrived moments later.
Preliminary information is that the suspects are likely non-students from another part of the county, and were in the area to pick up a companion from a party. The suspects were described as driving at high speed through the HSU housing areas on Granite Avenue, prompting one of the victims, who was walking on the same road, to yell at the suspects to slow down. The suspects were reportedly angered by this, got out of a dark BMW sedan, and assaulted the two victims. Two female resident students, aged 20 and 21, were also shoved, but did not suffer serious physical injury.
University Police worked throughout the weekend following up on leads with the assistance of other local law enforcement agencies. Persons of interest have been identified, but their names are not being released to preserve the integrity of the investigation. A Crime Alert flyer is being disseminated around the campus.
Anyone with information may contact the University Police Department 24 hours a day at (707) 826-5555. Information will be accepted anonymously by phone or by email to hsupd@humboldt.edu, or via a link on the University Police webpage, http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/crime_tip.php .