Seven suspects are identified and potentially facing charges for assaulting two students on the third floor of Michigan State University’s Main library Monday evening. Photo by Michigan State University
April 17 (UPI) — Michigan State University police on Tuesday identified seven suspects accused of hate crimes for their alleged assault on two male students at the university’s main library Monday evening.
None of the seven suspects are affiliated with the university, which investigated a reported aggravated assault on two males due to their sexual orientation, MSU Police and Public Safety officials said in a news release.
MSU officials labeled the assault a hate crime and said the two male victims were targeted due to the “perpetrator’s sexual orientation bias,” university student newspaper The State News reported.
The assault occurred at about 5:45 p.m. Monday during the university’s annual LGBTQ Pride Month and involved the victims’ race as well as sexual orientation, NBC News reported.
The assault occurred on the main library’s third floor study area after the suspects followed the two students there, The State News reported. The suspects appeared to be teenagers.
Because Michigan State is a public university, it’s main library is open to visitors who aren’t students, faculty or staff.
“We want anyone who’s on our campus to feel safe while they’re here, whether that’s because they’re a student or because they’re a visitor on campus using the library,” MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant told The State News. “It’s important people feel safe at MSU.”
The two victims told the student newspaper they are in a relationship and had just gotten food that they were bringing with them to the library when they encountered the group.
After settling into a study room, the assailants eyed them through a window and started banging on the study room’s door. The two victims tried to shut the door but were assaulted.
One victim had a cut above one eye and an injured finger, while the other had a sore neck and shoulders and bruising around his eyes and shoulders.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told reporters during an unrelated news conference Tuesday prosecutors can’t use the victims’ sexual orientation as a basis for charging the seven alleged assailants with a hate crime.
Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Act doesn’t include sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis for a hate crime, Nessel said. It does include race, though.
Nessel said proposed laws in the state Legislature would make gender identity and sexual orientation qualifiers for hate crimes in Michigan.
The investigation into the matter is ongoing. Once concluded, MSU police will forward all information to the Ingham County prosecutor to request charges against the suspects.
The alleged hate crime and assaults occurred a little more than a year after an armed man shot and killed three MSU students and injured several more in a nearby academic hall and in the university’s Student Union.
