Two incidents where men were badly beaten in East Lansing’s downtown last month still remain under investigation as the East Lansing Police Department looks for potential suspects.
Slightly after 2 a.m. Oct. 17, two men were assaulted downtown. Both men were attacked and beaten in the face but not robbed, East Lansing police Capt. Tom Johnstone said.
The first man was attacked near Charles and Linden streets and the second man was jumped in the 400 block of Division Street.
Police believe the two assaults are related because of the close proximity in time and distance.
The first victim, a 31-year-old East Lansing resident, was found by a passer-by after being badly beaten, with severe wounds to the face, Johnstone said.
He was found lying on the ground, bleeding, and did not see his attackers. Because he was attacked from behind, he was unable to give a description to police and no witnesses were present.
The second victim, a 20-year-old Canton, Mich., man, was attacked 10 minutes after the first incident. Witnesses present during the second assault said four to five men in two cars, described as SUVs, got out of the cars to attack the victim.
Johnstone said the police report indicated there was a verbal confrontation between the victim and the attackers, instigated by the attackers as they drove by.
After the attacks, both victims were taken to Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital. The second victim sustained injuries to the face, including bruising and swollen eyes and was able to give a description of his assailants.
Residents near the area of the attacks said they didn’t know anything occurred that night. Nursing junior Kelsey Alexander and graduate student Kelsey Dowty, who live on the end of the 400 block of Division Street, said they hadn’t heard about the incident and don’t feel threatened.
But Alexander said there occasionally are homeless people in the area at night or the morning and the neighborhood can be a little scary.
“I go to work at 5 a.m., and (at that time of day) it’s kind of creepy,” Dowty said.
They said they feel safe most of the time and always lock their door.
“I don’t think it’s unsafe,” Alexander said.
“I have thought about how easy it could be to break in, but other than that, it’s relatively safe.”
Johnstone said police are not releasing a description of the attackers and are following up on tips for the investigation, which remains open.
Anyone with information about the assaults should contact Johnstone at the East Lansing Police Department at (517) 351-4220.
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