MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – A young Middle State Tennessee University (MTSU) student was critically injured after being attacked Sept. 25 by a male student in his dorm room, said university officials.
The suspect placed an emergency call around midnight, saying the woman had a medical condition and had fallen down. His statement didn’t coincide with what police had seen, said the university police chief.
The freshman victim, 18, was found unconscious in the suspect’s room. She had been beaten and experienced trauma to her head, the university police chief said. It was not clear whether a weapon had been used. None was found at the scene.
Kevin Sisco, 18, also a freshman, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, after police conferred with the local district attorney. He was being held without bail on Wednesday.
The victim was listed in stable but critical condition at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the vice president for university affairs. Police were awaiting forensic tests to ascertain whether she may have been sexually assaulted.
The woman and Sisco were acquainted and lived in the same coed dorm. Investigators were still seeking details of their relationship.
The university sent an E-mail to staff, students and faculty the morning of Sept. 26, and held a meeting that afternoon with students who live on campus to answer questions about the incident. Both students’ families were notified.