Visitor Assaulted in MAC

A family member of a Harvard employee was knocked to the floor and kicked in the head in a skirmish with two Harvard students at the Malkin Athletic Center (MAC) on Friday night, the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) said yesterday.

The victim did not require medical attention, according to a MAC employee working Friday night who insisted on anonymity.

The victim and the students were playing a pick-up game of basketball when they began to argue. The conflict escalated when one assailant hit the victim in the chest, said Harvard Police Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley.

According to Riley, the victim was knocked to the floor by the other student, who then proceeded to kick the victim in the head.

A witness at the scene told officers that the attackers were students and identified one from a facebook picture as a sophomore, the police report stated.

The MAC employee said he probably saw the students on the way out, he did not know of the attack until the victim came downstairs to report it.

The victim subsequently called the police, he said, adding that they then questioned a number of potential witnesses.

The victim, who was visiting the MAC on a family pass, has not yet decided if he will press criminal charges, Riley said.

According to Riley, kicking a victim in the head qualifies as assault with a deadly weapon.

The HUPD would not release the names of those involved, citing the possibility of charges and the ongoing investigation of the matter.

John E. Wentzell, associate director of athletics and director of intramurals and recreation, said yesterday afternoon that he had not heard of Friday's incident.

Wentzell said he was "very surprised" that the MAC's Friday night staff hadn't informed him of the disturbance.