[ad_1]
A University of Colorado Boulder student says he was the victim of a politically motivated attack when he was hit over the head with a hockey stick by a man on in-line skates Thursday evening.
Nathaniel Ellis, a CU Boulder sophomore who is the secretary of CU Boulder’s Turning Point USA chapter, said he was leaving a meeting on his bike when he was followed by someone on in-line skates with a hockey stick. Turning Point USA is a group that advocates for conservative politics on high school, college and university campuses. It was founded by Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at Utah Valley University in September.
Ellis said the person on in-line skates followed him at about 6:50 p.m. Thursday as he left the Ekeley Science building, which is next to Norlin Library and where the Turning Point meeting was held, until he got to the area near Baseline Road and 27th Way.
“He came up behind me and broke a hockey stick over my head and yelled something to the effect of ‘f— you, fascist,’” Ellis told the Daily Camera.
The attack comes after social media posts about Ellis circulated online in the past few days. Boulder Students for a Democratic Society posted on Thursday, accusing Ellis of being a “Nazi activist” who is responsible for “white supremacist, antisemitic, and anti-LGBTQ vandalism” on campus and across Boulder. Torch Antifa Network posted on X that Ellis is “a member of the white supremacist organization Patriot Front.” Ellis also told the Daily Camera he’s gotten direct messages on social media, including one that said, “Get out of Boulder.”
Ellis believes the attack is related to the online harassment.
“Last night, antifa physically attacked me for my America first values and actions,” Ellis said. “… Like Mr. Kirk, I will not let threats dissuade me from my TPUSA involvement or beliefs.”
The Boulder Police Department is not releasing any information about what was said to the victim, any possible motive or any identifying information about the victim.
“In the interest of transparency, we can confirm that detectives are aware that the victim was the subject of some social media posts and a digital flyer circulated by others prior to last night’s incident,” a Boulder Police Department spokesperson wrote in an email. “Whether these played a role in the reported assault is part of the investigation.”
University of Colorado Boulder spokesperson Nicole Mueksch didn’t confirm or deny that Ellis was the victim of the attack, but she said the university has received reports that a CU Boulder student was involved in the alleged assault.
“The CU Boulder Police Department is supporting the Boulder Police Department (BPD) in the investigation, and the university is conducting outreach to the student,” Mueksch wrote in a statement. “As BPD is the lead agency on this case, CU Boulder cannot offer further comment at this time. Any questions about the investigation should be directed to BPD.”
Boulder police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the assailant. Police responded to an assault call from a man, who Ellis says was himself, who said he was riding his bike when another man on inline skates approached him from behind, verbally assaulted him and physically assaulted him with a hockey stick, according to a post on the police department’s X.com page.
The victim was not seriously injured and refused medical treatment, police said.
The assailant is a white male, of medium-tall height and slender build, police said. He was wearing all black clothing, a black ski mask, and had a green Gatorade bottle with an orange top in his back right pants pocket.
The assailant fled the scene after the victim called 911, and Boulder Police and CU Police officers searched the area but did not locate him.
Anyone who has any information about the incident or the assailant is asked to call Boulder Police Detectives at 303-4471-1974. This incident is being investigated under Boulder Police case number # 25-10213.
Originally Published:
[ad_2]