The man charged with assaulting an Indian man on Penn's campus Sunday night in what may have been a racially motivated attack is a Drexel University student, the Philadelphia Daily News reported yesterday.
Patrick McCall, 20, has been charged with aggravated assault, ethnic intimidation, reckless endangerment of another person's life and simple assault in connection with the incident.
The victim of the attack was reportedly standing outside a building located at 3456 Chestnut Street at 11:54 p.m. when the assailant approached him, according to police reports. McCall allegedly yelled, "[Expletive], you Indians killed my friend."
According to police, McCall then punched the man in the face several times and slammed his head against a concrete flower pot.
McCall then reportedly fled the scene, but was apprehended by Penn Police shortly after midnight near 34th and Market streets.
"The person was arrested and the incident is done," Penn Police Chief Tom Rambo said. "When someone is out on the street, you have other issues."
The victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania but has since been released, the Daily News reported.
Rambo said he also believes "alcohol was heavily involved" in the assault.
Police say the racial aspect of the incident added to its severity.
"Aggravated assault is a very serious crime," Rambo said. "And when you throw in someone's race or other personal attributes, it becomes an even more serious crime."
The incident is currently under investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department, and it has not yet been classified as a hate crime. However, McCall was charged with ethnic intimidation.
The racial comment "is point blank there, but the [classification of the incident] depends on what the investigation reveals," said Sergeant Keith Brown of PPD's Southwest Detectives division.
McCall has since been released from custody after meeting 10 percent of his $3,000 bail, according to the Daily News Web site.
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