Three assailants attacked a University freshman with what was presumed to be a pipe Friday morning, requiring the student to get five stitches from doctors at Fairview-University Medical Center.
The freshman, Matthew Hunter, was walking to his home alone from a friend’s house at about 1:30 a.m. Only three blocks from home, the assailants approached Hunter and asked him if he had any marijuana or money they could borrow.
After replying no, Hunter said, they hit him with something.
Dazed, he walked to his home with the idea of going immediately to bed, unaware of the extent of the damage.
Instead, his roommate insisted on a trip to the hospital.
“He was pretty out of it,” said roommate Zack Stimson. “His eye was totally shut and the whole left half of his face was pretty much blood.”
Hunter didn’t remember anything between the time he was assaulted and the trip to the hospital with his roommate.
“I didn’t know what hit me,” Hunter said. “I think it’s pretty messed up. I mean, I didn’t do anything to them.”
The hospital staff called Minneapolis police after Hunter and Stimson arrived.
Doctors informed Hunter he was likely unconscious for a time and was probably struck with a pipe-like object.
The police report stated Hunter told investigators his assailants were Somalian and nothing was taken from him after the assault.
Hunter said it was too dark and he would not be able to identify his attackers should they be brought before him by police.
The case has not yet been assigned to an investigator by Minneapolis police and because Hunter did not get a good look at the men, police have no suspects at this point.
Hunter said the attack has made him hesitant to walk on the streets again alone at night.
“I’m definitely a little more scared to walk around the neighborhood,” he said.

In other police news:
Minneapolis police are investigating a Sept. 13 automobile theft from 130 27th Ave. S.E.
The Choice Auto Rental Inc. car is a 1999 dark green Ford Contour, issued to Marnette Gordon.
According to the police report, the vehicle was stolen while parked on 27th Avenue S.E. while Gordon was out of town for a week.
Gordon told police she noticed the car key was missing from her purse and the car had been stolen when she returned from her trip.
Minneapolis police have no witnesses or suspects in the case.

Justin Costley covers police and courts and welcomes comments at [email protected]. He can also be reached at (612) 627-4070 x3224.