A man was taken into custody this past Monday after an incident involving the assault of two University of Tennessee students. According to WBIR, the arrest occurred near the campus, specifically at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street, around 8:50 a.m.
Knoxville Police Department responded to the assault call and found the two victims, aged 18 and 20. An eyewitness could direct officers to the suspect, 43-year-old Brad Collins, who appeared still on the scene. In a report by WBIR, Collins admitted to being "mad and hungover" when questioned about the events. The first victim reported that Collins had assaulted her unprovokedly, striking her in the eye with a closed fist and then choking her to the point where she struggled to breathe.
The second victim's experience was similarly unprovoked. According to her testimony, Collins, in what seemed like a sudden outburst, ran across the street and struck her also with a closed fist. The aftermath left one victim with redness and swelling around her neck, and the other needed to be hospitalized due to a large cut above her eye, as reported by Newstalk987. Collins was subsequently charged with one count of assault and one count of aggravated assault.
As the Knoxville Police Department continues to investigate, they are urging anyone with additional information to come forward and assist in the ongoing case.