CORRECTION - April 19, 2007

When first published, this article incorrectly stated that the assault suspect was still in police custody. In fact, the suspect was released the previous Saturday.

The 24-year-old male student suspected of assaulting two 20-year-old women at Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity is being held in King County Jail on felony assault charges.

The man had been arrested last month during another U-District incident when he drew a handgun on a student at a party, police said.

The women involved in the incident were immediately taken to the UW Medical Center Thursday night and released Friday morning. One received stitches on her face.

"The student was not a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity," said Ray Wittmier, assistant chief of the UWPD. "He was a guest of another fraternity at the party, and does not live in any Greek residence to my knowledge, or at any address in this area."

Witnesses to Thursday's incident said that around 11 p.m., the man and one of the women began yelling at one another. The man punched her in the head and kicked her in the face as she fell to the ground. The second woman was also struck in the face as she ran to assist her friend.

Witnesses said Alpha Sigma Phi had hired a security team to augment its in-house security for the event. Security responded quickly to the incident and quickly escorted the man outside, where police took him into custody.

There was alcohol present at the party, but there is no indication that it played a role in the assault.

CLARIFICATION - April 19, 2007

According to conversations with Interfraternity Council and Delta Tau Delta representatives, the assault suspect was in the process of becoming a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and was seeking pledgeship but was not an initiated member of the fraternity, nor did he live in the fraternity. All ties between the fraternity and the suspect have been severed.

Reach reporter Camden Swita at camdenswita@thedaily.washington.edu.