A 79-year old New Haven man was assaulted by five young men on Whitney Avenue Friday evening, Yale Police Department and New Haven Police Department both reported this weekend. Though the name of the victim has not been released, email alerts from YPD and NHPD indicate that the victim was a Yale faculty member.

NHPD spokesperson David Hartman wrote in a Sunday press notice that the victim recalled being punched, kicked and thrown to the ground by the group of young men. The victim told police he likely lost consciousness and that when he came to his backpack and wallet were gone. His wallet was later found, according to the NHPD statement.

According to Hartman, the man was walking home from work on Hillhouse Avenue when he spotted five young black men pass him on Whitney Avenue. He told police that one of the men was on a bicycle and another was “obese.” A Friday campuswide email from Chief of Yale Police and Director of Public Safety Ronnell Higgins stated that the victim was approached from behind when he was attacked. The faculty member returned to his home where his wife called for help, Hartman said in his statement. The victim was then taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

The one witness of the incident said he didn’t realize they were beating up the victim until they’d fled and he could see the victim on the ground, according to Hartman. NHPD continues to investigate the incident.

“Detectives are reviewing video surveillance in hopes of identifying the cowards responsible for this heinous attack,” Hartman said in his email.

Anyone with further information is encouraged to reach out to the police department.

SARA SEYMOUR