Assaults way up on CSULB campus

March, so far, has brought more than WomenÕs History Month and winds.

March also brought on a rash of assaults on the Cal State Long Beach campus, according to the University Police log. University Police scrambled to deal with two aggravated assaults on campus March 11.

A male student, who was not identified by University Police, was assaulted March 11 on the second floor of the College of Business Administration Building.

The victim suffered serious injuries to his face that requires surgery and probable hospitalization, said University Police Investigator John Bellah.

The victim also suffered a chipped tooth, said Director of Student Life and Development Stuart Farber, who arrived to aid the victim shortly after the assault.

> University Police have obtained a warrant and are actively searching for the suspect, Bellah said. No arrests have been made as of Thursday.

A separate assault also occurred on March 11. A facilities plant operations supervisor reported that a former employee threatened him with a knife.

After obtaining a warrant, the University Police arrested the suspect at his residence later that evening. The suspect was then booked into Long Beach City Jail and scheduled for arraignment at the Long Beach Municipal Court, March 13.

The suspect was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and possession of an illegal knife on a university campus.

Another unrelated assault took place while a student was taking the Writing Proficiency Exam at ED1 on March 5. A student attempted to leave the testing room with possession of the test. When approached by a testing supervisor, the student apparently pushed the supervisor and then began verbally assaulting him.

University Police advised the student to leave and the student complied. However, roughly 15 minutes later the student returned to the testing room and verbally threatened the testing supervisor again. The victim decided not to prosecute the student.

At least five aggravated assaults have been reported since Feb. 26, which surpasses the total for all of 1996, according to the Student Right to Know Report, published by University Police.