November 3, 2009 UNH police seek info. in weekend attack Play video

(NECN: Lauren Collins, Manchester, NH) - The search is on for suspects in an assault over the weekend at the University of New Hampshire. Police say three men, one dressed in a Halloween costume, attacked a student between two school buildings on Saturday.

The 21-year-old victim is now recovering at home while unh police are asking for leads in the apparently unprovoked attack.

"Initial reports indicated that there were three people involved, as witnesses started to come forward after the emergency alerts went out, we looking at upwards of five male subjects," says Sgt. Steven Lee. "People actually saw it, they stood by," says Lee. "We didn't get the phone calls that we would have thought we would get if someone happened upon or actually saw that taking place."

A campus alert emailed to all students urges anyone who saw the assault to call or anonymously e-mail police.

"I think people should come forward and say what they know even if they don't know much," says sophomore Annie Couvillion. Freshman Patience Lekien agrees, "I feel a little disappointed that people are not coming out to talk about it."

While that's the general sentiment around the Durham campus, some students aren't surprised by the silence. Sophomore Ryan Reynolds says the description of the attackers -- college aged men around six feet tall in dark, hooded sweatshirts -- isn't a lot to go on. "I would probably just walk by," he says.

This isn't the first assault

on campus this year. A few months ago another student was attacked, which prompted police to issue a similar alert. Sgt. Lee says information from that bulletin led to an arrest and is hopeful for the same outcome this time.

For the most part, students aren't rattled by Saturday night's attack. "Despite what's going on I still feel safe," says Sophomore Starsha Tunstall.

Even in the daylight, many walk between classes and to the dorms together and look out for each other. And at night, Lekien is usually "with friends. I walk my friends back, especially if they're female."

That same sense of caution and protection is what police want for the victim in the Halloween attack.

"This is one of our students, one of our peers. We need to step up and call the police," says Sgt. Lee.