A University student filed a citizen’s arrest after several men allegedly assaulted him in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood early Monday morning.
“It appeared that they were intoxicated,” said victim Steven Bartlett.
The incident began at 3:30 a.m. near the intersection of Seventh Street and Eighth Avenue Southeast and ended several blocks away, when Minneapolis police intervened.
Bartlett was talking on his cell phone outside his truck when the five men approached him and began swearing, according to the police report.
After Bartlett told them to keep walking, several of the assailants allegedly began punching him.
The suspects were in their early 20s.
Bartlett told police the suspects chased him on foot to 10th and University avenues southeast, where a police officer took notice of the group.
One suspect reportedly threatened the officer after the officer shined a flashlight on him.
According to the police report, the group said they had come from a party and shouted several expletives at the officers.
The officer said he pushed the suspect into the squad car after he refused to get in.
Another squad car stopped the other men, whom Bartlett identified as his attackers. All were arrested by citizen’s arrest and taken to the Hennepin County jail.
Persons may file a citizen’s arrest following a misdemeanor crime that was not committed in the presence of — or witnessed by — a police officer, said Minneapolis police spokeswoman Cindy Montgomery.
Threatening an officer constitutes disorderly conduct.
“It is a crime, but arresting for it is up to the discretion of the officer,” said Lt. Otto Wagenpfeil of the Second Precinct. “You have to weigh the totality of the circumstances.
“Down by the University, you get some party-goers that are rather belligerent,” Wagenpfeil added.

In other police news:
ù A renter living in a Como neighborhood duplex drew a knife during a domestic argument early Thursday morning, according to the police report.
The 19-year-old man allegedly broke out four windows and cut himself before Minneapolis police arrived at 847-24th Ave S.E.
He then fled through the attic into the neighbor’s section of the duplex, where police apprehended him.
Afterward, the man was treated at the Hennepin County Medical Center and tagged by police for damage to property.
Neighbor Ed Hamel said the man’s roommates apologized afterward.
“They’ve kicked him out,” Hamel added.

ù Minneapolis police arrested a man May 22 who allegedly broke into a Dinkytown study space rented by a retired University professor.
The break-in occurred at 10 p.m. at 1403 Fourth St. S.E. in a second-floor room rented by Marion Nelson, professor emeritus in the art history department.
The suspect, who reportedly gained entry by climbing a fire escape and pushing in a window air conditioner, was later arrested.
“They were looking for money or, I suppose, drugs,” said Nelson, who has rented the room for the last 41 years.

Robert Koch covers police and courts and welcomes comments at [email protected].