Attack on ISU student reportedly being investigated as a hate crime

NORMAL (25News Now) – An Illinois State University student claims he was attacked on campus early Saturday morning. Due to the language allegedly used by the suspects, police are treating the case as a hate crime.

ISU police issued a crime alert Monday saying the alleged assault occurred around 2:20 a.m. near the Bone Student Center. A male student said four people pushed him off his scooter and punched him in the face. He refused medical treatment, according to police.

According to the student, the four shouted homophobic slurs at him. “Because this incident is both a crime and the suspects' language may indicate it was bias-motivated, it is being actively investigated as a hate crime,” police said.

“Understandably, a crime like this causes great concern on our campus. We are focused on the safety of our entire Redbird community. We care about you and your safety and are committed to ensuring a safe campus environment where everyone can learn, work and thrive,” the department's crime alert said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the ISU Criminal Investigation Division at 309-438-8631.

For more information about bias-motivated incidents and hate crimes and how to report them, visit the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes website.

You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how to connect with 25News live news. Here.

Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.