Police arrest BHS student after 2 assaults, 1 during Unity Week

Berkeley police arrested a 15-year-old girl Thursday after two violent attacks on women downtown, including one during last week's "Unity Week" disturbances.

The girl, a Berkeley resident who goes to Berkeley High School, was arrested on suspicion of assault likely to cause serious bodily injury in both cases, Berkeley police said in response to a Scanner inquiry.

The most recent incident happened Friday, Oct. 16, when a Downtown Berkeley Association ambassador was attacked outside Target on Shattuck Avenue.

At about 4 p.m., the ambassador was cleaning eggshell residue from the sidewalk when a teenager began shooting projectiles nearby from a toy gun, police said.

When the ambassador told the teen to stop, another student took the toy gun and began shooting at the ambassador's face, police said.

When the ambassador tried to defend herself, one of the juveniles "forced her to the ground and repeatedly punched her in the face."

There, a member of the group kicked her in the face multiple times, police said.

The ambassador sustained bruises to her head, face and neck.

Police said the 15-year-old girl arrested Thursday was involved in the attack but did not specify her role.

Her name was not released because she is a minor.

The same teenager was also arrested in connection with an Oct. 8 attack on a 58-year-old woman in the 2000 block of Kittredge Street in downtown Berkeley.

In that case, police said, the woman was chased into a parking structure, physically assaulted and dragged several feet along the ground.

A bystander intervened and pulled her attacker away.

The woman tried to take refuge in a nearby restaurant, but the student pursued her and attacked her again "before being restrained," authorities said.

Berkeley woman had already been attacked twice by students, police say

The 58-year-old woman was also attacked twice the prior day, also in the 2000 block of Kittredge Street, according to police.

On Oct. 7, she was assaulted after confronting a group of teenagers who were throwing trash outside the Berkeley Public Library at about 12:25 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., two girls confronted the woman, took her cellphone and "kicked her in the leg," police said. One of the girls smashed the phone on the ground.

Police later identified two 14-year-old Berkeley girls as suspects in those incidents, including one they say took part in both of them.

Both cases, a misdemeanor battery case and a robbery case, were sent to the district attorney's office for charging.

Unity Day violence downtown: The rundown

Last Friday's attack on the downtown ambassador happened amid a series of disturbances involving large groups of young people as Berkeley High's Unity Week came to a close.

Police received multiple reports of teenagers throwing eggs and shooting water guns at pedestrians, along with reports of fights and other assaults.

The reports all came in around lunchtime and after school.

Just before noon, police received a report of people riding motorbikes on the sidewalk and throwing eggs in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue "as part of BHS Rally Day."

Minutes later, police received a report that a juvenile had been assaulted in the same area. Officers and Berkeley High staff responded, but found no active fights.

At 12:12 p.m., police got a report of students "throwing eggs and shooting water guns at pedestrians" near Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way.

At about 12:30 p.m., a 14-year-old autistic student was attacked by a group of about a dozen boys, some wearing masks, who kicked and punched him and pelted him with eggs. The Scanner broke the news of that incident.

The boy was later taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion.

Parents of students with disabilities have since called for a thorough investigation, stronger safety measures and accountability, particularly in relation to violence against disabled students.

At 4:05 p.m., police received word of the downtown ambassador assault.

"When officers arrived, eggs were thrown at them and their vehicles," police said.

About half an hour later, police got a report of approximately 100 young people fighting and throwing eggs near Shattuck Avenue and Addison Street.

Approximately 20-30 juveniles also reportedly looted the downtown Target at some point during the afternoon.

In a statement this week, Berkeley Police Chief Jen Louis said the department had assigned additional downtown patrols in anticipation of problems during lunch and after school on Unity Day.

"The circumstances presented significant challenges," she said, including roving, large groups and vague suspect descriptions.

The chief noted that, "at times, groups of approximately 100 students gathered, engaged in disruptive behavior, and dispersed before officers arrived, only to regroup elsewhere."

"Some students attempted to provoke officers, including by throwing eggs at police vehicles," the chief said.

In her statement, Louis said one of her sergeants had been assaulted after confiscating eggs from a student. The surrounding group "became hostile," she said. The assailant has not been identified.

Detectives are continuing to investigate last week's incidents and working with Berkeley High to improve coordination ahead of future school events.