4 men hospitalized after being assaulted on Greenwood Avenue in Ann Arbor
A 19-year-old California man was hospitalized after being beaten and robbed Saturday morning by about 10 people on Greenwood Avenue, Ann Arbor police said.
Three other men also were hospitalized after being assaulted around the same time on Greenwood Avenue, but it's unclear whether the incidents are related, police spokeswoman Lt. Renee Bush said.
About 1:45 a.m., a man was walking on Greenwood Avenue when 10 people jumped him and took his wallet, cell phone and other items, Bush said. Officers didn't learn of the assault until they responded to the University of Michigan Hospital, where the man was being treated because he had pain and cuts to his head, Bush said. The man had little recollection of the attack, Bush said. Police did not have descriptions of the attackers.
It's unclear whether the incident is related to an attack on three men that is believed to have occurred minutes earlier. About 1:41 a.m., a 24-year-old Romulus man and two Belleville men, ages 17 and 20, were punched and kicked by several men on Greenwood Avenue, Bush said. The Romulus man also was hit with a bat and a handgun was pointed at him, Bush said.
The three were taken by ambulance to the University of Michigan Hospital because they had cuts to their faces and arms, Bush said. Nothing was taken from them.
In that case, two of the men responsible were described as black. One was about 24 years old and was wearing a blue and red baseball cap. The other was about 25, and about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, unshaven and was wearing a black T-shirt, Bush said.
Anyone with information can call the police department's tip line at (734) 794-6939.
The assaults come two months after two men were stabbed on Greenwood Avenue during an annual block party.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Bcar
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 11:54 a.m.
100% on being aware of one's surroundings, being situational aware can prevent 99% of these crimes, running can prevent another 0.5%, but what about that last 0.5%?? I don't trust and will not allow some thug to make life and death decisions about my life. Amlive. A few things... Law is 0.02 BAC. CLEARLY these thugs were totally sober and I'm sure they had the proper training and licenses for their weapons (eyes rolling...) There is a saying, do you want to be judged by 12 or carried by 6... Safety?? What safety?? LOL!! A 'safety on' turns a pistol into a brick ;) For someone who's properly trained (RE: better training than the minimal training the police even get) it takes less than 1 second to get to a pistol and get off 2-3 accurate rounds. The closer the bad guy the lower the chance of missing. When 9 guys see their first friend's head turn into a canoe, their appetite for robbery usually goes down. Best advice though, be aware, then RUN. But what if that doesn't work...? When seconds count, the police are only minutes away! And thanks to our wonderful mayor, they're going to be a few minutes later starting July 1st.
2020
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
Makes you want to visit Ann Arbor. Not!
joe
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 7:09 p.m.
Rough weekend to be on the streets of Ann Arbor - glad I was in Ypsilanti where it's safe.
jester32b
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 6:06 p.m.
Hey City Council, how many more people are going to be hospitalized before you realize there aren't enough police to on the street to protect us? I see you kept money in the budget for parks, but who is going to go there when there aren't enough police officers to protect us? How about some council members taking a walk at night time to see what the city is really like when the sun goes down. See the police respond, call to call to call because their budget has be slashed by the city council. We need to voice our concerns to city council so maybe they will wake up and smell the coffee.
Bcar
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
3 letters... C.P.L...
Ricebrnr
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 1:15 p.m.
Oh my, it's true when they say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing... Good stuff regarding alcohol and CPLs. Yes agreed. But I sure hope that's not the only reason people would be out at that time of night. I know I was up at all hours back in the day and I don't drink. Getting jumped by multiple assailants and chances at self defense...hmmm <a href="http://philadelphiacriminallawnews.com/2011/02/philadelphia-jury-finds-gerald-ung-not-guilty-in-shooting.html" rel='nofollow'>http://philadelphiacriminallawnews.com/2011/02/philadelphia-jury-finds-gerald-ung-not-guilty-in-shooting.html</a> Also look to KeepandBearArms.com for DAILY news stories along that vein as well as innumerable stories of attacks ceasing just from drawing the weapon. HItting a person in bed...well of the 3 basic rules of gun safety, knowing your target and what is beyond covers that. Otherwise I would agree any shot taken would be irresponsible BUT the instigators in the criminal act would also be culpable. Giving up your stuff...well in at least this story wasn't the person robbed AFTER getting the ... kicked out of him? I'd venture to say that the fear of great bodily harm came before the robbery..just a thought. Smart trigger locks...so smart no Agency. civilian or military will use them, not that a commercially viable one is available anyway... As for the final paragraph, why that would describe all sorts of law enforcement in uniform or not. They seem to think it's a good idea...wonder why?
amlive
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 3:45 a.m.
I'd say it's safe to assume that most people walking home at this time of night likely have some level of alcohol in their system. A bit presumptuous perhaps, but come on, it's realistic. CPL or not, it wouldn't do you any good because if you're drinking, because you can't legally carry anyway. Heck, if you are carrying and run in to some friends that want to go to the bar, you can't even go in with them to my understanding. Or if you ignore laws prohibiting carrying a pistol with any alcohol in your system, if 10 guys jump you by surprise, what do you think the odds of you getting to your gun and protecting yourself without risk of a few stray rounds going in to houses on either side of the street would be? Or say you aren't drinking, but are just walking around at closing time on side streets around campus for fun. You get jumped, by surprise - are you really going to be able to get to your gun, turn off the safety, and get your assailants without the slightest risk of missing while you are wrestling in a narrow street between rows of occupied houses? I guess the small risk of hitting a person in bed is a small price to pay though, compared with giving up your wallet and iPhone without a proper fight. Of course you could carry open, while you're walking around a college town sober in the middle of the night. You should probably make sure your gun is equipped with some sort of smart gun trigger lock though, just in case your assailant jumps you from behind and is physically stronger than you, preventing you from controlling where your gun is pointed or being able to wrestle it from your hands. But yeah, I suppose if you spend a lot of time walking around city streets in the middle of the night, without a drop of alcohol in your system, and you can identify potential assailants before they make physical contact, and draw your gun on them before they draw theirs if they're armed, then yeah, carrying a concealed weapon is the perfect answer.
Ricebrnr
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 8:59 p.m.
And if you can't run let alone fast enough? Yep we aspire to be Rambo simply because we don't wish to lay down and die... Silly us.
Jake C
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.
Would you mind being more specific? Certified Professional Locksmith? Chicago Public Library? Commercial Pilot License? Or do you think a Concealed Pistol License would help you out when you're jumped by surprise in a 10-on-1 situation? Maybe if you're Rambo... My real-world (non-Rambo) advice would be to be aware of your surroundings and practice running fast fast.
2WheelsGood
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.
I agree, though without some sense of situational awareness and training, this situation could have been even worse.
smokeblwr
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:45 p.m.
I bet the thugs were from OUT OF TOWN and I will continue believing this on every violent assault story reported in Ann Arbor until proven otherwise.
Ricebrnr
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:32 p.m.
staying aware and disparity of force. just sayin...
whatsupwithMI
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
RE the comment about keeping cali in cali, belleville in belleville, etc.... you _do_ realize that there is a university somewhere around here that e.g. welcomes people from Forign Parts such as... 20 miles away. I hear they even let in some people who speak weird languages- my pastor said they spoke in tongues _all the time_. How weird is that? I've stared at my own navel for _years_ and never seen such a thing.
Berda Green
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 3:54 p.m.
wow crazy hope they catch them
mrshicks2000
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
It really took 10 people to rob someone...? Cowards.
Ricebrnr
Tue, Jun 21, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.
Usually are
Ron
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 3:41 p.m.
WOW!! RJA, So, you don't think an Ann Arborite would have been beaten up if he would have been on the street at the same time?? HUH, thugs (cowards) just beat up people from out of town. Cool I feel safer already.!! If thugs just beat out of towners then the State of Michigan should quit spending money on those "Pure Michigan" adds. Perhaps they could spend that money on more police to catch the thugs that beat people up. Just in case a local should get beaten.
2WheelsGood
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 3:35 p.m.
Maybe we should cut some MORE police, eh Mr. Mayor?
xmo
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
Crime is up in Ann Arbor and we have not reduced our public safety force level yet! Maybe City Council will have to cut some where else in the budget?
Rod Johnson
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.
Is crime up? Where's the data?
Bill
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 4:30 p.m.
Why have public safety when you will be able to see the Council meetings in HD!!
diagbum
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 2:38 p.m.
So when these sorts of things happen at a local nightclub its becomes necessary to close a business... Maybe the City Attorneys office should be filing a motion to have Greenwood declared a public nuisance?
pvitaly
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.
Wow, this sounds pretty crazy!