High-schoolers confront student

Halloween night saw three separate assaults, two on students and one on an Oberlin youth, and another threatened assault near or on Tappan Square.

At around 7:40 p.m. a student reported being threatened by four to five youth between Allen Art building and Tappan Square. He described one of the youths as wearing a white hockey mask and a blue Starter jacket.

At 8:15 a non-student was reported as being assaulted while riding his bike across Tappan Square. According to Captain Tom Miller of the Oberlin Police Department, a group of youth jumped out while the youth was riding by, knocking him off his bike. The youth hit his head on the pavement and was transported to Allen Memorial Hospital.

At 9:15 a student reported being verbally harassed and physically assaulted by a group of youth in Tappan Square between Carnegie and Finney. The student broke free of his attackers and reported the incident to Security.

At 9:30 a student reported being attacked while walking on the 100 block of South Pleasant Street. The student reported that as he was walking past a house, a youth in a wheelchair was sitting on the porch of the house. As he approached, a group of six to seven youth jumped out from around the porch. The youths allegedly hit the student. The student reported that he escaped and reported the incident to College Security.

An anonymous student who was one of those assaulted, said that while walking across the Square, "I noticed a group of individuals."

"Ten to 12 high school students approached me wearing masks. They started talking to me and they encircled me and I felt that I was in danger," he said.

The student said he ran towards Finney Chapel as the group chased after him. The student spotted a security vehicle, which he attempted to flag down. Although he was not noticed by the officer, the high schoolers backed off in fear that the security officer had seen him.

The student ran to the Department of Safety and Security to make a report. Security officers immediately dispatched officers to the scene of assault.

Miller said that there have been no suspects apprehended, and the juvenile officer is investigating the assaults.

Director of College Safety and Security Keith James said that students should not walk alone, be acutely aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity or knowledge of the events to the Security Office.