Two Students Assaulted Near Adams House

Two Adams House residents were taken to area hospitals with broken noses early yesterday morning after being assaulted on the corner of Bow and Plympton Streets by four men who emerged from a green vehicle, according to police reports.

The two male roommates were just outside of Tommy's House of Pizza at about 2:45 a.m. when the "suspicious-looking" assailants drove up in a large 1998 car with a Pennsylvania plate that had been stopped by police earlier in the night, according to Frank T. Pasquarello, Cambridge Police Department (CPD) spokesperson.

Pasquarello said the assailants kicked and punched the two students in the face.

The attack, according to a friend of the victims who asked to remain anonymous, appears to have been unprovoked.

Neighborhood residents, including those in Adams House and the nearby Sigma Chi fraternity house, said they heard the commotion in the street.

Rachel E. Barber '99, who lives in Adams House, said she called HUPD when she heard "a lot of screaming" coming from outside her window.

She said she saw several other Adams residents emerge from the House as the assailants got in their car and sped away.

Another Adams resident who was near Tommy's House of Pizza at the time said she began screaming when she saw the attack taking place. She declined to give her name for fear of interfering with the CPD investigation.

Claire Van Eenwyk '99, an Adams resident who witnessed the end of the assault, said she saw several male students approach the assailants after the assault and tell them to "get out of here."

One of the victims, who suffered a broken nose and was left unconscious by the assault, was taken via ambulance to Mt. Auburn Hospital at 3 a.m. He has since been discharged from the emergency room, according to Pasquarello.

The other student, who also suffered a broken nose, was transported to University Health Services (UHS), according to the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) daily press log.

Pasquarello said CPD is looking for two Caucasian males. The races of the other two assailants have not been determined.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon, no A-1

arrests had been made.

Adams residents expressed surprise and shockwhen they heard about the attack.

Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely '60 said hehad previously believed that the neighborhoodaround Adams House was a relatively safe area.

Otto F. Coontz, assistant to the senior tutor,said he believes yesterday's incident marked thefirst time in his 12 years at Adams House that astudent has been attacked.

According to CPD statistics, however, theRiverside neighborhood in which most of Harvard'supperclass Houses are located experienced aoverall increase in crime in 1998. Last year saw20 street robberies, up 25 percent from theprevious year.

Students said they hoped Adams House officialswould respond adequately to the incident.

"I hope that the two men who were attacked getsupport," said Rabia S. Belt '01, an Adams Houseresident who also noted that she had not receiveda community advisory Yesterday.

Kiely, however, said he did not want to sendout a House-wide e-mail message or communityadvisory until he was sure of what had occurred.

Other students said had seen other conflicts inthe Square in the aftermath of St. Patrick's Dayrevelry.

"[The incident] is shocking, but not thatshocking on St. Patrick's Day," said William F.Abely '99, who said he had witnessed several minorbarroom brawls at the Crimson Bar and Grille thesame night

arrests had been made.

Adams residents expressed surprise and shockwhen they heard about the attack.

Adams House Master Robert J. Kiely '60 said hehad previously believed that the neighborhoodaround Adams House was a relatively safe area.

Otto F. Coontz, assistant to the senior tutor,said he believes yesterday's incident marked thefirst time in his 12 years at Adams House that astudent has been attacked.

According to CPD statistics, however, theRiverside neighborhood in which most of Harvard'supperclass Houses are located experienced aoverall increase in crime in 1998. Last year saw20 street robberies, up 25 percent from theprevious year.

Students said they hoped Adams House officialswould respond adequately to the incident.

"I hope that the two men who were attacked getsupport," said Rabia S. Belt '01, an Adams Houseresident who also noted that she had not receiveda community advisory Yesterday.

Kiely, however, said he did not want to sendout a House-wide e-mail message or communityadvisory until he was sure of what had occurred.

Other students said had seen other conflicts inthe Square in the aftermath of St. Patrick's Dayrevelry.

"[The incident] is shocking, but not thatshocking on St. Patrick's Day," said William F.Abely '99, who said he had witnessed several minorbarroom brawls at the Crimson Bar and Grille thesame night