A man is in the hospital with a skull fracture and a broken nose after he was attacked with a tree branch on his way to work.
Police say the man was biking to work Monday at about 8:45 a.m., traveling eastbound on the Chester Creek bike trail. He was attacked by three young males who were walking on the trail about 80 yards west of the Goose Lake overpass.
One of the teens was carrying a tree branch approximately 5 feet long and 2 inches in diameter, which he was using as a walking stick, according to a release from the Anchorage Police Department.
“As the cyclist passed, the male swung the branch directly into the victim’s face,” APD says.
The victim sustained a skull fracture, a broken nose and a fractured right orbital bone, police say. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries and will remain for overnight observation.
Now, APD is asking for the public’s help finding the suspects, described as “three black males with medium skin tone complexion.”
The man suspected to have struck the cyclist is believed to be 15 years old, with a medium build and short hair. The second male is described as 17 or 18 years old, 6 feet tall, with curly hair on the top and short hair on the side. No description is available of the third male, police say.
This attack follows a stabbing on the Chester Creek trail at the end of March. That incident, where a woman says she was hit in the back of the head and stabbed, took place near Monday’s attack.
Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call APD at 786-8900 or submit a tip anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.