The Denver Post
A 22-year-old Asian-American was repeatedly punched in the face early today in Boulder and forced to say "I love America," Boulder police reported.
That attack and a reported sexual assault led to condemnations from both university and city officials.
The Asian-American victim told investigators that he was walking in the area of 10th and Marine streets with friends about 1 a.m., singing a song from the movie "Team America." He said they were confronted by four men.
One of the men — described as being a blond white male about 19 or 20 — said, "Do you think you are an American?" called him a "Chinaman," punched him in the face "multiple times" and told him to say that he loved America, police said.
In an unrelated incident, police reported that a 20-year-old woman, a student at a community college, was walking to her Boulder home following a party about 12:45 a.m. today when she was attacked by four men.
She told investigators that while two of the men held her down, the two others sexually assaulted her.
CU-Boulder chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson said that the Asian-American victim was a recent CU graduate and that his three companions are current CU students.
Peterson said that attack, coupled with the "horrific sexual assault" on the Boulder woman, "offend the sensibilities and values of our entire campus community.
"Such violence, whether perpetrated against women or against people because of their ethnicity, has no place in any community but particularly damages a community of learning," said Peterson.
After the confrontation with the Asian-American, the assailant ran off with three other members of his group.
The suspect is about 5-foot-10 and was wearing a white tank top and black pants.
One of the other men with the assailant in what officials said may be a hate crime was described as a white male with a long goatee and was wearing a long-sleeved gray sweatshirt.
Sarah Huntley, spokeswoman for the Boulder Police Department, said that originally investigators believed a knife was held to the Asian-American's throat. But she said further interviews lead investigators to believe that the suspect may have referred to a knife but did not show one.
CU vice chancellor for student affairs Julie Wong said any attack on a member of the "CU family or against any person in the community, whether affiliated with CU or not, is an attack against all of us collectively."
"This hate crime underscores the importance of our message of inclusion, diversity and acceptance," said Wong.
Boulder City Manager Jane Brautigam said that she, along with Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner and his staff, are asking Boulder residents to "make safety a number one priority this Halloween weekend.
"The city defends the rights of all residents and condemns all acts of violence and crime," said Brautigam. "As stewards of public safety, we will continue in our many efforts to prevent such offensive acts from occurring in our city."
The woman who was sexually assaulted told police that after the assault she ran home. Friends found her crying on her front porch about 1:40 a.m..
The victim was taken to St. Anthony's North Hospital, where she underwent a sexual assault examination.
According to Huntley, the sex-assault victim said the four suspects had darker skin and may have been Hispanic. The victim said all had dark, "slick back" hair and appeared to be in their 20s. One of the assailants had a beard.
Anyone with information about the attack on the Asian-American is asked to contact Detective Kristi Peterson at 
303-441-3330
.
Anyone with information about the sexual assault is asked to contact Detective Colleen Wilcox at 303-441-3330.
Those with information about either case who wish to remain anonymous should contact Bounty County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website at crimeshurt.com/.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
No comments:
Post a Comment