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Five USC football players were involved in what some are calling an "all-out brawl" with unknown assailants at the Russell House University Union's Grand Market Place on Thursday around 12:30 p.m. according to police, university officials and eyewitness accounts.
Police responded to the scene after the fight had already ended. The assailants have yet to be identified or located, according to police reports. The incident report also states police responded to a "civil disturbance."
The students were sitting in the Russell House eating when a group of about four unknown individuals walked up and "initiated an exchange," Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Jerry Brewer said.
One of the victims was sucker punched and then a fight ensued. The assailants then left the area.
USC Football Coach Steve Spurrier said that none of the football players were injured.
Freshman cornerback Akeem Auguste, freshman linebacker Antonio Allen, sophomore offensive guard Terrence Campbell, sophomore linebacker Melvin Ingram and freshman wide receiver Charles Witlock were the victims listed in the police report.
The players were seen talking to police after the incident.
First-year biology student Tommy Nguyen was eating lunch near where the fight broke out and saw two males come into the Russell House before they attacked another male.
"It was violent but I don't know if any blood was shed. They went for chairs and were trying to hit the dude with chairs," he said.
The fight lasted for several minutes and included two distinct groups according to eyewitness Edgar Santana, creative director for USC Student Media.
He said that after several minutes the fight quickly ended and both groups left in different directions.
"They kind of dispersed after a few minutes of the fight," Santana said. "I think they saw the managers of the Grand Market Place walk by, they couldn't do anything; there were so many big guys involved. But I think they saw that it was time to go. Sure enough they ran out the front door and the door to the courtyard."
Nguyen overheard the instigators of the fight shouting and yelling as they hit the victim. What Nguyen overheard indicated the fight may have been gang-related.
"At first I thought [I heard] 'Bloods' or something like that. Once they started hitting him they kept saying 'What's up Red?'" Nguyen said.
No evidence of gang-related activity has been found, according to Brewer. The investigation is still ongoing. Brewer said he hopes police will be able to identify the assailants with the help of security surveillance tapes outside Zia Juice and the ATMs outside the back entrance of the Russell House, where it is believed the assailants entered.
"We've got to know who they are, how they got on campus, how to keep them off," said Brewer.
Tiffany Bell, director of the Grand Market Place and witness to the incident, would not comment due to company policy.
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