Pennsylvania College Students Attacked by Mob During Illegal Street Takeover
Female students at York College were beaten, dragged by their hair, and maced during a violent incident that began after street racers crashed into a parked car.
Several female students at York College of Pennsylvania were brutally assaulted by a mob during an apparent illegal street takeover that turned violent on Saturday morning. The students were on the porch of their off-campus house when agitators who had gathered for a street race invaded their property.
According to reports, the attack escalated after one of the street racing vehicles crashed into a parked car near the students' home. When the students asked the gathered crowd to move off their property, the confrontation erupted. One victim described the scene as chaotic, with multiple assailants rushing them. "I turn and see my friend get dragged by her hair down our porch steps and disappear. My other friend got dragged by her hair," one student recounted to Fox 43.
Videos of the incident show dozens of individuals pummeling one student as she lay on the ground, while others attacked another student outside the home. The victims reported being punched, kicked, maced, and beaten unconscious. One student recalled being surrounded by approximately 30 people while being kicked from every angle and having her face struck. She believes she blacked out multiple times during the assault.
The incident occurred around 1:50 a.m. on W Jackson Street in York, Pennsylvania. Hundreds of people had reportedly converged in the area for an illegal street race when the commotion near the students' home drew their attention.
While the students claim they made multiple calls to the police, the York City Police Department stated that officers were already engaged in a previous, ongoing critical incident investigation involving a barricaded individual and reports of gunshots. A police sergeant requested mutual aid from surrounding agencies while a contingent of York City officers responded to the fight.
Upon the arrival of York City police officers at 1:52 a.m., the large gathering quickly dispersed. Police officials stated that a patrol officer met with the victims and gathered evidence. As of the reports, no arrests had been made, and an investigation into the attack has been launched. The students sustained bruises from the assault, and one victim's father criticized the police response time.
York College confirmed that the altercation involved college students and individuals not affiliated with the institution, stating that non-affiliated individuals initiated the physical confrontation after being asked to leave the property. The college leadership is reportedly in ongoing discussions with city officials and law enforcement regarding safety in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus.