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UA Police Charge 2 In Attack On Black Student

The University of Arizona Police Department Friday arrested two students on misdemeanor assault charges.

The arrests come after they allegedly assaulted a black student outside Arbol de la Vida residence hall.

The victim stated in a police report obtained by KJZZ he was called "the 'N' word' approximately 8-10 times by one of the assailants and was repeatedly punched and kicked late Tuesday evening.

Originally no arrests were made, though U of A students Matthew Reed Frazier and Matthew Spencer Rawlings who allegedly committed the assault were detained by police. Rawlings — whom police say "appeared to be intoxicated" — was diverted through the Dean of Students Office in lieu of an arrest for minor consumption of alcohol.

U of A President Robert Robbins Thursday condemned the attack. He wrote in a statement to the AP "We need to come together and let people know, without qualification, that intolerance and discrimination have no home here. Unless we have a safe environment, free from violence, discrimination and hate, students will not be free to learn and pursue their dreams."

It’s not known what changed by Friday when police took the two into custody and charged each with a class 1 misdemeanor assault.

Protestors from the Black Student Union and others demonstrated on campus Friday following the announcement of the arrests. They shouted chants of “What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now" in video posted on social media.

The case will now go to the Pima County Attorney’s Office for review.

Tom Maxedon was the host of KJZZ’s Weekend Edition from 2017 to 2024.