Brutal daylight attack on University road
University of Leicester CCTV captured a gang of men carrying out an organised attack on University road in the middle of the day, leaving their victim barely conscious.
The attack was carried out by a gang of six or seven men wearing the same clothing and masks, appearing to target one or two members of the public on 10 November.
Mohsin Ahmed, a postgraduate student who witnessed the attack, stated:
“I was walking towards Ken Edwards [lecture theatre] for my class, and then on the footpath close to the Union, I saw a couple of guys run towards one person. There were six or seven in total, and they jumped him in broad daylight.”
There have been 17 reported crimes around the University of Leicester in 2021, with four recorded as violent and sexual offences.
The University has a lower rate of reported crimes, with a total of 93 crimes being recorded in the wider surrounding area, including Clarendon Park, Morrisons, and Victoria Park in September 2021.
There were 30 violent and sexual offences, 12 public order offences, and 10 anti-social behaviour cases recorded in the surrounding area in September. Clarendon Park received the most reports, with 25 crimes recorded.
“One [assailant] was aggressively punching him. The others started to hit him as well. He fell very quickly on the floor. One guy was kicking his head.
“One guy was definitely wearing a mask; I am unsure if all of them were.” Mohsin continued.
“He wasn’t unconscious, but he was dazed.”
The victim was helped by the group of witnesses. “Probably four or five people immediately showed up. Just trying to figure out what’s going on.
“My first conclusion was that maybe this is a rival gang fight, which ended up with one person being beat up.
“It was traumatic to witness, especially with the feeling of helplessness.”
Laurence Perkins, Head of Security at the University of Leicester, said: “We are aware of an incident which took place on University Road on Wednesday which, following initial investigations, did not involve any University students or staff.
“Members of the Security team responded as soon as they were made aware of the incident, and captured CCTV footage of the incident as well as speaking with those involved. We are liaising with relevant partners.
“The University’s on-campus Security team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year. If members of the University community feel unsafe, they are encouraged to call Security on 0116 252 2023.
“Students and staff can also download the SafeZone App from the Apple Store or Google Play to report emergencies, request help and for first aid response.”
Leicestershire police were unaware of the incident when contacted, but were put in touch with the University.
Image: Ellie Fleury
Toby Cray is a final-year journalism student and the magazine’s Vice President. You can find him on Twitter here.
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