Police searching for stabbing suspect

After an early Saturday morning attack on three students, the IU Police Department is searching for the suspect and interviewing witnesses and victims.

The suspect gave an 18-year-old male a four-inch cut to the neck and two females superficial cuts on their faces that did not require medical attention.

IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger said police have received several calls about the suspect, including one person who reported seeing someone running away from the general direction.

Police said the three students were assaulted with a sharp-edged weapon at about 12:30 a.m. as they walked on 17th Street near Woodlawn Avenue toward their residence halls.

The man whose neck was cut – and whose name is being withheld for his safety – told the Indiana Daily Student that he went to Bloomington Hospital and received 19 stitches before being released at about 4:15 a.m.

He said he and four friends were walking by Briscoe Quad when they noticed a man coming from behind them waving at their faces and necks.

“We just thought he was drunk,” the man said. “We had no idea he was cutting us until we saw the blood.”

The man said the suspect was holding a blade between two of his fingers as he slapped them and then fled south toward Briscoe.

The group flagged down a police officer, and the man whose neck was cut was taken by ambulance to Bloomington Hospital while the others were taken to the police station to be interviewed. The man said the injury could have been much worse.

“I got very lucky,” he said. “The cop told me that a pound more of pressure would have cut my vitals.”

IUPD and the Indiana State Police scoured the area for the suspect with no results. The victims and witnesses will be re-interviewed by IUPD to try and find more clues about the suspect. The names of the victims aren’t being released for safety reasons because the motive and attacker are unknown, Minger said.

A cautionary e-mail and text message were sent to students at 5 a.m. Saturday warning students about the situation. IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said letting students know about the problem and telling them to be careful is one of the “most important” things the University can do at this time.

“That and trying to help catch this person is about all we can do. We’ve certainly made everyone aware of the situation, and everyone should be careful,” he said.

The suspect was described as an 18- to 20-year-old slim, white male suspect, between 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall. He was described as wearing jeans, a yellow T-shirt and a white hooded sweatshirt at the time of the incident.

If anyone has information about the identity of the suspect or regarding this incident, IUPD asks that they call 855-4111 and ask to speak to an investigator.

-Asst. Campus Editor Sarah Brubeck contributed to this report.