Students attacked by intruder in Westwood
Apartment complex stabbing lands three women in hospital
By Brooke Olson
and Patrick Marantal
Daily Bruin Contributors
Three women, including one UCLA student, were attacked Jan. 27
in a Westwood apartment complex by an unidentified assailant.
Shalini Choudhary, 21, a UCLA senior psychology student, and San
Diego State students Saya Menta, 21, and Saaum Arora, 22, were
assaulted early Saturday morning at 437 Midvale Ave.
All three victims were treated for substantial knife injuries
and bruises at the UCLA Medical Center, a hospital spokesperson
said.
Arora was released Saturday and Choudhary was discharged
Tuesday, while Menta is expected to be released from the hospital
today.
Although West Los Angeles police have a suspect, they refused to
release any details about the assailant.
"To release any more information at this point would be
detrimental to the investigation," Detective Brad Phillips
said.
Neighbors reportedly were awakened around 2:15 a.m. by screams
and by one victim’s pleas for help when the attack occurred.
"I was laying in bed and my roommate was getting ready (for bed)
… a girl was outside yelling for help and holding the side of her
face," said Emily Crooker, a second-year art history student. "(The
assailant) had hit her a bunch of times. She was bleeding and
hysterical."
Matt Freeman, a third-year political science student, recalled
that he awoke when one victim began pounding on his window,
screaming for help.
"(The victim) was standing in the hallway with blood running
down her face," Freeman said. "Two (other neighbors) were standing
with a girl who’d gotten stabbed in the neck."
However, some residents said they were slow to respond to the
screams because weekend nights are notorious for screams from
nearby party-goers.
"I probably didn’t go out(side) until the third scream because
there’s so much screaming that goes on here on the weekends," said
Mike Maggiano, a fifth-year English and philosophy student.
Although area residents described the neighborhood as relatively
safe, some mentioned the lack of appropriate lighting as an
explanation for the assailant’s ability to elude police.
"It’s really dark … pitch-black," said Nikao Yang, a
third-year economics student. "The landlords are (now) talking
about putting up lights and fences."Comments to
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