Cristian Gomez

Two people were stabbed in the early hours of Sunday morning, and police are now searching for leads and a suspect.

At approximately 1:57 a.m., seven UMPD officers responded to a call in the Student Union area. Police reports indicate a crowd dispersed immediately upon the arrival of squad cars, leaving freshman Johnny Evans, 19, of Durham, N.C., bleeding from a stab wound in the left buttocks on the northeast steps of the W.E.B. Du Bois library.

According to Ed Blaguszewski, UMass director of news and information, several hundred students left the Student Union following a dance at 2 a.m. During the crowd’s departure, two fights broke out – one on the building’s steps, the other in close proximity to the library. Police are searching for the weapon used. According to Blaguszewski, it was probably a knife.

Blaguszewski had no information regarding which group was hosting the event.

Evans, a fullback on the UMass football team, sustained other minor cuts and was transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA, where police say he is in fair condition.

The other victim is reported to have sustained a wound to the arm. He did not cooperate with police and refused medical attention. There is no word as to whether the second victim is a UMass student.

UMPD Deputy Chief of Police Patrick Archbald said the department is actively fielding leads involving the case and working toward finding a suspect.

Blaguszewski sent out an e-mail at 10:30 a.m. to all undergraduates and university personnel describing the incident. He said their was no need to alert students sooner because the police had concluded the incident was isolated and did not pose an immediate danger to others on campus.

Instead, the e-mail was sent because he thought “it wise to make the students aware.” He added it was important to provide notification of similar events on a timetable proportionate to a situation’s severity. He stressed that despite the events of Sunday morning, students and staff should resume their usual activities.

Police urge anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Detective Bureau, the non-emergency line at 413-545-2121, or the tips line at 413-577-8477. Further information will be shared with the campus community as developments occur.