Weekend fights

Over the weekend (Friday through Sunday), Lincoln police officers investigated 41 assaults.  If that sounds like a lot, it's really not out of the ordinary.  Last year, we investigated 4,852, an average of a bit more than 13 per day.  Of the 41 assaults, 18 were domestic:  they involved people who live together, have lived together, share a child in common, or have a dating relationship.  This definition includes roomies, siblings, and even parent and child.  Not all domestic assaults fit the expected template.  Here is the slightly-sanitized narrative from case number B1-033422, in which a young man called to report a violent attack by his mother:

"Mother reports that she and her adult son became involved in an argument over his cursing at her when she told him to fold his clothes from the wash. Son said during this argument his mother struck him on the left shoulder with the wand of the vacuum. He stated this caused him pain. There was no visible injury and Mom denied the accusation."

The 41 assaults occurred at schools, on buses, at residences, on the street, at a community center, a homeless shelter, a nursing home, and a group home. A common thread was alcohol, which was involved in over half the assaults.  Here are a couple of lightly-edited excerpts from typical examples of the alcohol-related variety:

Case Number B1-033432

"Victim said he was talking to a girl at a party when the suspect came up to them, was being loud and mouthy and said 'I'll fight you for her.' Victim said suspect then 'sucker punched' him in the side of the head and a fight ensued."

Case Number B1-033336

"Victim was contacted walking on the sidewalk with blood running from his mouth. Victim reports that he was walking down the sidewalk on the NE corner of Centennial and O St. A unknown male wearing a black baseball hat, with large biceps and tattoos on his arms struck him in the face causing his top lip to be cut. Victim was unable to give any more description about the party responsible. Victim stated that he didn't want anything done and he only wanted to go home, and walked away from officer with his friends."