A male UW student was violently assaulted last Tuesday evening while walking along the Burke-Gilman Trail near Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

The name of the student has not been released, said UWPD Assistant Chief Ray Wittmier.

According to a press release, the student was near the Hec Ed overpass at 11 p.m. when two males walking southbound along the trail approached him. The suspect did not know either of the individuals.

Without warning, one of the men punched the victim in the face. The student fell to the ground, and the suspects proceeded to kick his head and body. The suspects then left the scene.

The victim sustained minor injuries but was not hospitalized. According to his testimony, the suspects said nothing to him prior to, during or after the assault, and the victim was not robbed.

The UW Police Department (UWPD) was alerted the next day.

Wittmier said the police are still looking for both suspects.

"The next step is to get the victim together with a sketch artist, hopefully within a day or two, and he'll be able to give a description," Wittmier said.

According to the student's testimony, the first suspect is a young white male with spiked blond hair, who was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans at the time of the attack. The victim was unable to give a description of the second suspect.

UWPD urges students to avoid situations like this by exercising caution when walking, particularly at night, and by trying to walk in groups rather than alone.

The UW offers a nighttime security escort service for students who would like professional security guards to walk with them after dark. The service is available from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. year-round, seven days a week and is free of charge. The security escorts can be reached by calling (206) 685-WALK.