FARMVILLE – Early last Sunday morning, August 29, at approximately 2:50 a.m., Longwood University Campus Police received a report of an assault that occurred in the rear of North Cunningham Residence Hall, according to an email sent by the university to faculty, staff and students.

“The alleged victim, a Longwood student, advised that he and a female companion were behind the Cunninghams when he was approached by a group of six to seven males. The victim advised he was punched in the face after a brief non-confrontational conversation with one of the males and was then struck repeatedly by other males in the group,” the email states.

“The initial perpetrator was described as a white male, approximately 20 years old, approximately five-foot six inches tall, with a slender build and brown hair. The other suspects were described as black males wearing white t-shirts and dark pants. The victim indicated that no objects or weapons were displayed and the suspects were last seen running in the vicinity of Griffin Boulevard,” states the email, which was forwarded to The Herald by the university.

“Campus Police encourages the Longwood Community to utilize basic self-protection measures such as always being aware of your surroundings (avoid becoming distracted by texting); avoiding isolated areas; traveling in pairs or groups; and immediately reporting suspicious activities and/or individuals or groups that appear suspicious or not associated with the university,” the email states.

“The University's Counseling Staff is available to talk with students who feel need to discuss this situation. To contact a counselor, follow the normal on-call procedures of notifying a Resident Assistant (RA), Residence Education Coordinator (REC), or the Counseling Center (395-2409).

“If you have any additional information about this incident or other crimes, please contact any police officer at 434-395-2091. Additionally, crimes or information can be reported anonymously at www.longwood.edu/police/ .” the email states.