2 hospitalized after weekend assaults in South University Avenue area

The first incident took place at 1:45 a.m. Saturday at the corner of East University Avenue and South University Avenue. Bush said police got a call reporting a melee with multiple people throwing punches.

When they arrived at the area, a 24-year-old Grass Lake man told police he was walking on South University when five or six men attacked him. He said the men punched him and knocked him to the ground before slamming his head repeatedly into the concrete.

The men also attacked a 27-year-old Trenton man who was with the Grass Lake man. The 27-year-old said he was punched in the face several times before the Grass Lake man came to his aid.

The Grass Lake man was taken to University of Michigan Hospital to be treated for a laceration on the side of his head. The Trenton man appeared to have a broken nose and bruising on the left side of his face. Police have identified a 29-year-old man as a suspect and are searching for a separate 18-year-old man, described as a 5-foot-8 inch black man with dreadlocks.

The second assault resulted in a 19-year-old Ann Arbor man being punched in the face seemingly for no reason in the 800 block of South University on Sunday morning.

Bush said the man was found lying unconscious and bleeding from the nose in the middle of a group of people on the sidewalk at 2 a.m. Sunday. Officers called an ambulance and were able to interview him once he woke up.

The man told police he was walking with a friend westbound on the north sidewalk of South University when three men walking eastbound approached them. One of the men said, “What are you doing wrong?” to the 19-year-old man before punching him in the face with a closed fist.

The punch knocked the man out and the three men continued walking away, Bush said. Alcohol was involved in the incident and police could not question the 19-year-old more before he was taken to the hospital.

The assailant is described as a white man, 5-feet-11 inches to 6-feet tall, brown hair, brown eyes, clean-shaven, wearing a white T-shirt and shorts.

The final assault occurred at 2:20 a.m. Sunday outside Pizza House in the 600 block of Church Street.

Bush said a 21-year-old Ann Arbor man and his friends were at the restaurant and engaged in verbal sparring with a 27-year-old East Lansing man and his friends. The insults being tossed between parties were so disruptive a bouncer at the restaurant told the groups to quiet down at one point, Bush said.

After they were done eating, the Ann Arbor man and his friends left the restaurant and were followed by the East Lansing man and his friends. The Ann Arbor man told police the East Lansing man punched him in the mouth outside, Bush said.

Police were called to the area and interviewed both parties. The Ann Arbor man identified the 27-year-old East Lansing man at the scene, Bush said.

No arrests were immediately made and the Ann Arbor man declined medical treatment, Bush said.

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