BLOOMSBURG -- Police in Bloomsburg are investigating two separate assaults that left four people injured over the weekend. One of the assault victims is a 60-year-old man who remains hospitalized with serious damage to his jaw.
“It's scary. It's really scary.”
People living on the 400 block of Chestnut Avenue in Bloomsburg are extremely concerned to hear that a 60-year-old man was badly beaten over the weekend.
Bloomsburg police say officers found that man with serious injuries to his face, especially his jaw, after being called to the area around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
“My son mentioned to me that the man, that the guy got assaulted. I don't know if he ran over there or what, but he said his jaw was completely--he was in really bad shape,” said Elsie Hernandez.
Witnesses told police they saw some college-aged men leaving Chestnut Street, however police say that victim remains hospitalized and due to the extent of his injuries they have not been able to talk with him.
“We understand that it will probably be a couple of days before we're able to talk with him, just because, from the sounds of it, I don't know the details of his injury, but it involved his jaw, so could have a fractured jaw and just not in a position where he can actually communicate with us,” said Sgt. Leonard Rogutski with Bloomsburg Police.
Around that same time, officers were called to East Third Street just a few blocks away where a college student was found beaten, telling police he was jumped by a group of people. Police said his two friends also were slightly hurt, getting into the fight to protect him.
Again, the attackers left before police arrived.
Lauren Weiss lives on that street and heard all about it.
“His friend texted him saying that there was a fight going on and he came to help, with two other kids or something and what was there, eight kids, beat him up and he got sent to the hospital,” said Weiss.
Police do not know if the same people are behind both attacks and are asking for help in finding those responsible.