Monday, March 22, 2004
BY AMALIE NASH
News Staff Reporter

A University of Michigan student was stabbed three times and punched repeatedly during an unprovoked attack that occurred while he was walking home early Sunday, Ann Arbor Police said.

The attacker may have been attempting to rob the student of his backpack, but he fled empty-handed, police said.

Neighbors ran to help the student when they heard his yells for help at 2 a.m. Sunday in the 500 block of West William Street, reports said. He suffered a collapsed lung, stab wounds and bruises but was reported in good condition this morning at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Lt. Mike Logghe said.

“This was an innocent victim who was viciously attacked, and we need help from anyone who saw or heard anything around that time on West William Street,” Detective Sgt. Richard Kinsey said.

The 28-year-old student told police he was walking home from Pizza House when he heard someone running up from behind, and then he was struck in the back of the head. He said he fell to the ground and was struck repeatedly but didn’t realize he was stabbed until the attacker ran off.

A woman who lives in a nearby house heard yells for help and ran outside to see a man punching the victim while he was lying on the sidewalk, police said. She said the assailant ran away after she screamed for him to stop and told him she was calling police.

Other neighbors also came outside and waited with the victim until help arrived. He was bleeding from two stab wounds to the side and one to the thigh, reports said.

Detective Sgt. Jim Stephenson said the victim and neighbors were unable to provide a description of the attacker. “Unfortunately, we don’t have much to go on at this point,” he said.

Monday, March 22, 2004
BY AMALIE NASH
News Staff Reporter

A moviegoer was severely beaten after he shushed another man in the row behind him during a showing of “The Triplets of Belleville” at a downtown Ann Arbor theater Saturday evening, city police said.

The 51-year-old victim was hospitalized with multiple fractured ribs, a collapsed lung and several facial lacerations that required stitches, police said.

Paul Elrod, 38, of Milan, was arrested at his home that night and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, police said.

The victim told police he and his wife were watching the movie at the State Theater at 8:30 p.m. when they were distracted by talking behind them. He said he turned and motioned for the man to quiet down, and then the man began coughing in his ear and kicking his chair, reports said.

The victim reported the man eventually spit on him and threw popcorn, so he got up, turned around and said, “Excuse me.” The victim said he was punched in the face and thrown down the stairs and into a banister.

Police said the assailant then left the theater but was followed by a theater manager, who got his vehicle’s license plate number, reports said. The manager said the man threatened him as he walked behind him.

Police said Elrod called a short time later and said he was attacked at the theater and defended himself, but he refused to return to the scene to speak to officers. After he was later arrested, he told police the victim came at him first, punched him and rushed at him, so he pushed the man and he accidentally fell down the stairs.

An off-duty Detroit Police officer was struck in the head with a beer bottle during a dispute between two large groups of men near the University of Michigan campus early Saturday, Ann Arbor Police said.

The officer said he and his friends were walking in the 1200 block of South University Avenue at 3 a.m. when a group of men accosted them, reports said. The officer said he pulled out his badge and told them to move on, and then one of the man grabbed a bottle from the ground and hit him, reports said.