Tufts junior Terry Levine said another Tufts student verbally and physically assaulted him due to his sexual orientation last Friday, and has reported the matter to the Dean of Students Office.
According to Levine and junior Alexandra Bloufarb, a friend of Levine's and witness to the event, an inebriated assailant pushed and slapped Levine after commenting that he "looked gay."
Levine and several witnesses identified the alleged assailant as sophomore Reshawn Branch and named him to the Dean of Student's Office on Monday.
When asked about what transpired last Friday night, Branch refused to comment.
The Dean of Students Office confirmed it had received reports of two assault cases this weekend, one of them potentially constituting a hate crime.
The office would not release or confirm the names of students who might have been involved and an investigation is ongoing.
Reitman said the "bias piece of [Friday's] incident itself is not necessarily a crime." He said "the expression of bias may be something that we disdain that is not always something that is regulated or that legislation deals with."
According to the Pachyderm, Massachusetts law defines a hate crime as a civil rights violation that involves a crime committed due to the victim's perceived sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, sex, disability, or national origin.
Bloufarb said she had no doubt Friday's incident fell into this category. "I think it's really embarrassing, especially at an institution like this, because [this kind of bias] is everywhere and it needs to be dealt with," she said.
Reitman said the adjudication process has started at the Dean of Students Office and typically takes several weeks.
Levine said he was at a party at 143 College Ave dancing with friends at 1:30 a.m. Friday night when Branch approached him. "I had had no previous contact with him," Levine said.
According to Levine and Bloufarb, Branch told Levine "you look really gay."
Levine replied by offering to shake hands, asking him to "leave it alone. I said it didn't matter," Levine said.
Bloufarb said Branch continued to verbally antagonize Levine, allegedly insisting, "No, you look like a fucking fag."
At this point, the confrontation reportedly turned violent. Levine said Branch "slapped me in the face and I kept saying chill out, just shake my hand and leave me alone. After that, he put his hand on my neck and pushed me up against the wall," Levine said.
Bloufarb and another witness and friend Rachel Rosen confirmed Levine's account.
Upon being release from Branch's grip, Levine and Bloufarb said that a shaken Levine shook Branch's hand and left the house unharmed.
According to both witnesses, Branch was significantly intoxicated at the time. "He contacted my friend to have him tell me that he was so drunk that he didn't even remember the incident," Levine said, "and all that he did remember was my friend throwing him out of the house."
Rosen said, "A couple minutes later I went up to the kid and really ripped into him and it honestly seemed like he had no idea what he had done. He said he didn't mean it in a homophobic way."
"It seemed as though I almost had to remind [Branch] of what he did," Rosen said. "He kept saying it wasn't a big deal, like 'I'm not homophobic, that's the last thing I am.'"
Bloufarb agreed that Branch seemed considerably inebriated. "He was really drunk, but that's no excuse," she said.
Levine filed a report with the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) that morning and gave a more in-depth statement on Monday.
TUPD Captain Mark Keith said Levine "is pursing the incident through the Dean of Students Office. The victim left open the possibility of pursuing [the incident] through criminal proceedings, but hasn't made a determination if he wants to go that route yet."
The TUPD has had no further contact with Branch at this time.
"Tufts should get involved and make a big deal about it because it is a big deal," Bloufarb said.
Incidents of bias at Tufts are usually handled by the Bias Intervention Team, which operates under the Dean of Students' Office.
But Bias Intervention Coordinator Marisol Perez deferred comment to Reitman, who said, "While a campus investigation is going on because those involved are students, the Bias Intervention Team is not able to provide immediate and full disclosure on the incident."
Levine left campus yesterday for his home to discuss with his parents whether or not to pursue legal recourse. He said he does not hold a "personal vendetta" against the perpetrator. "I think everyone has a right to know happened," said.
"I'm not angry, I'm not an angry person," Levine said. "I'm just mad at the situation. Ignorance is everywhere."
- Sarah Dalglish contributed to this article
