COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--The Ohio State University issued a Public Safety Notice on Thursday with regard to recent incidents that police are investigating as hate crimes and aggravated assaults.
Police say that a student was walking along High Street Wednesday night, when an unknown black male yelled a racial slur from across the street.
The two exchanged words, and that led to the suspect to run toward the victim and punch him in the face. The victim left the area before seeking help for his injuries.
Police say there was a similar incident around that same time, where a male and female student were approached by a black female along Chittenden Avenue. The suspect pulled up in a vehicle, and used the same racial slur.
The students initially walked away, but were approached by the same vehicle near the Ohio Union at 12th Avenue. That's where the female suspect got out of the car and attacked the female student. The male suspect, believed to be the same one involved in the other incident, also appeared and assaulted the male student.
Anyone with information connected to the crimes is asked to contact OSU Police.