The hunt is on in Menomonie, Wisconsin for the assailant who fatally beat a student from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The student Hussain Saeed Alnahdi was from Saudi Arabia and had been in the downtown bar area where many young people were celebrating Halloween early Sunday.
Menomonie police say they are talking with people who were in the neighborhood and are collecting surveillance video from local businesses, hoping it provides clues as to who attacked Alnahdi.
Investigators say one witness reported seeing a white male run from the scene.
Alnahdi was a junior majoring in business administration.
Fellow students have created a memorial and have been gathering there to remember him.
UW-Stout's Chancellor Bob Meyer wrote in a blog post, "My priorities right now are twofold: to do everything I can to support the family, friends and others who knew Hussain and have lost a loved one and to ensure that the full resources of UW-Stout are engaged to help Menomonie police bring Hussain’s assailant to justice."
The university along with the city of Menomonie, through the support of private individuals have establisheda $15,000 rewardfor information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed Alnahdi. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is also offering a $5,000 reward.
Investigators do not know if the attack might be ruled a hate crime.