A man was arrested after two Jewish students were attacked on the University of Pittsburgh campus Friday night.
The suspect, identified on Saturday as Jarett Buba, is not a student nor does he have any known affiliations with the university, CBS News reported. He’s facing charges of simple assault, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest and harassment.
Police said they have surveillance video showing 52-year-old Buba sitting at a table in Schenley Plaza around 6 p.m., and then running across Forbes Avenue toward the victims, both of whom were wearing yarmulkes at the time.
He then allegedly attacked them from behind with a glass bottle.
Officers told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that Buba had been sporting a keffiyeh, a traditional checkered scarf that has come to represent Palestinian solidarity amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The two students were treated on the scene in wake of the attack, which occurred near the Cathedral of Learning located on the university’s main campus, according to a statement from Pitt spokesperson Jared Stonesifer.
While Buba attempted to resist being taken into custody, and allegedly gave a series of fake names before properly identifying himself, police were eventually able to detain him. He was transported to the Allegheny County Jail, authorities confirmed.
“To be clear: Neither acts of violence nor antisemitism will be tolerated,” Stonesifer said. “Local and federal partners are supporting Pitt Police in this ongoing investigation.”
“We recognize that incidents like these are unsettling to our Pitt community,” Stonesifer’s statement said. “The University Counseling Center is available to any student needing support, and Life Solutions is available to all faculty and staff members.”
The attack came just after University of Pittsburgh students kicked off the fall semester with the start of classes on Monday.