First-Year Assaulted In Square

A first-year student was assaulted with a knife early Thursday morning while walking from the Yard to Store 24.

Victor M. Thorne '96 and his roommate Carl T. Talmo '96 were going to Store 24 from Strauss A at 2:30 a.m., when Thorne was approached by a man near the T stop on the corner of Mass Ave. and Church St.

The man apparently spotted the cash Thorne was carrying in his hand, and asked if Thorne "had some money for him," Thorne said.

According to Thorne, Talmo told the man to leave them alone and the two kept on walking.

Thorne said he heard a switch-blade pop open and saw the man swing at him with a knife. Thorne threw up his hands to block his face, and was cut across three fingers.

Thorne and Talmo then ran to Store 24, but the man was gone when they looked out the window. Thorne then washed his hands at the store and received some bandages from the clerk, hesaid.

Thorne said the attacker was a white man about5'8" to 5'9" in his mid 20s with short blond hairand a scruffy blond beard.

Thorne said he did not report the matter to thepolice or his proctor because he wanted to keepthe matter "low-key."

"I didn't want to get involved with the police.I didn't think it was a big incident," he said. Hedid inform his football trainer of the assault.

But news of the assault did reach otherstudents, and some first-years said they wereupset about the incident. Many of the students,unaware that Thorne had not reported the incident,criticized the University's lack of response.

"I'm terrified. It could happen to anyone, andit could happen again," said Strauss residentSheridan J. Pauter '96. "I'm angry that theUniversity isn't doing anything about it. There'sbeen absolutely no reaction. Something should bedone--after all, everyone goes to Store 24."

Pauter said she thinks that people in theentire Yard should be made aware of the incident.

"The proctors and the University are nottalking to us about these things," said Abram S.Hatch '96. "We only hear from friends about peoplebeing stabbed. The University should be telling usinstead. More attention has been given to thestudent [who was killed] at MIT than any studentshere."

W.C. Burriss Young '55, associate dean offirst-year students, said that he hadn't heard ofthe incident but would speak to the UniversityPolice.

Thorne said the experience will not prevent himfrom going out late again but added that he willuse more caution. "I'm definitely going to be morecareful and keep away from places where people canjump out that late at night," he said. "I'm notgoing to keep my money out unless I'm paying forsomething in a store.

Thorne said the attacker was a white man about5'8" to 5'9" in his mid 20s with short blond hairand a scruffy blond beard.

Thorne said he did not report the matter to thepolice or his proctor because he wanted to keepthe matter "low-key."

"I didn't want to get involved with the police.I didn't think it was a big incident," he said. Hedid inform his football trainer of the assault.

But news of the assault did reach otherstudents, and some first-years said they wereupset about the incident. Many of the students,unaware that Thorne had not reported the incident,criticized the University's lack of response.

"I'm terrified. It could happen to anyone, andit could happen again," said Strauss residentSheridan J. Pauter '96. "I'm angry that theUniversity isn't doing anything about it. There'sbeen absolutely no reaction. Something should bedone--after all, everyone goes to Store 24."

Pauter said she thinks that people in theentire Yard should be made aware of the incident.

"The proctors and the University are nottalking to us about these things," said Abram S.Hatch '96. "We only hear from friends about peoplebeing stabbed. The University should be telling usinstead. More attention has been given to thestudent [who was killed] at MIT than any studentshere."

W.C. Burriss Young '55, associate dean offirst-year students, said that he hadn't heard ofthe incident but would speak to the UniversityPolice.

Thorne said the experience will not prevent himfrom going out late again but added that he willuse more caution. "I'm definitely going to be morecareful and keep away from places where people canjump out that late at night," he said. "I'm notgoing to keep my money out unless I'm paying forsomething in a store.