A Mitchell College student was hospitalized after he was hit in the head with a crowbar-like object, but the person responsible is still at large, according to New London Police.
About ten people, students and non-students, were involved in the brawl on the New London college campus on April 7 just before 1 a.m., said Acting New London Police Chief Peter Reichard.
“I heard screaming, which coming from a college, I thought it would be normal. It would be some sort of party or people being loud and obnoxious. But it sounded kinda more like a devious scream. Like a higher pitch, I would say. It just sounded odd, it sounded different,” described Christian Kai-Nielsen, a junior at Mitchell College.
Kai-Nielsen heard people scurrying and then looked out his window to find police cars filling the road.
“Obviously the first thing I think of is, ‘Wow, something dangerous happened.’ But I didn't think to that extent,” Kai-Nielsen said. “Because normally we have police here for like, minor things.”
The group of people, who were mostly under 21 years old, were involved in a fight on campus, said Reichard. That’s where a 20-year-old male seemed to be beaten in the head with a crowbar-type object. An email sent later that day to the college community confirmed it was outside the residence halls on upper campus.
Officers are reviewing surveillance video, conducting interviews and still looking for the person responsible for the violent attack.
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“A local nightclub that was hosting an under 21 party,” Reichard said. “Something transpired at that party, which was not too far from the campus. And after that, the assault. They confronted each other back on the campus of the school.”
Mitchell College freshman Breanna Gagnon said she was at that club that night, but saw nothing there. She did hear yelling when she got home and said she alerted her resident assistant (RA), who called campus safety.
“There was a lot of yelling so I told the RA and she went outside and told us to ‘just stay inside.’ And I was worried about my friends,” she said.
Mitchell College released a statement that reads, in part, “The College has a strong security presence in place and responded very quickly to the incident. The College will also continue its ongoing commitment to implementing security measures and will respond vigorously at times of heightened risk.”
The school said Campus Life saw the group enter Mitchell College and immediately alerted Campus Safety, who responded within 63 seconds. According to call logs, New London Police were on scene within two minutes.
The school also sent out emails to students and staff about the incident, hosted informational meetings and increased security. New London Police, Connecticut State Police and campus safety officers monitored the entrances to campus in the days following the assault.
“They definitely stepped up what they’re doing to protect us,” Gagnon said.
A spokesperson for Mitchell College said the school has maintained close contact with the victim and his family. The school will continue to provide support as he begins to return to classes.
Safety records reviewed back to 2010 show no similar instances, according to school representatives, who call the incident “a rare occurrence,” in a statement.
