Two Western Washington University students and a friend were assaulted by three men just south of the Bellingham campus in the Happy Valley neighborhood around 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Western Alert.
The three victims, who sustained minor injuries but did not need medical attention, were walking near the intersection of 24th Street and Douglas Avenue when a dark blue Dodge Ram drove by and the occupants told the three they would beat them up, Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy said in an email.
The truck drove around the block and circled back, with the driver and passenger getting out and beating up the three victims, Murphy said. All three sustained minor injuries, such as black eyes and bloody noses, and walked back to Western’s campus.
On the way back to campus, the three saw the truck again and the occupants leaned out and shouted profanities at the three victims.
They reported the assault to University Police around 5:45 p.m., who then responded to the scene but were unable to locate the three men. An alert was sent to the university community around 8 p.m.
Bellingham Police received a call of an assault at 5:54 p.m. Officers spoke to two of the victims. A third did not make a report.
The three men were described as having buzz-style haircuts and facial tattoos. The first male was last seen wearing a black hoody, the second male long board shorts and the third a white tank top. The three men left the scene in a dark blue Dodge Ram, driving south towards Fairhaven.
“The suspects are at-large at this time,” Murphy said.
University Police ask anyone with information about this incident, or anyone who sees a group matching the description of the men, to call 911.
