Cortland Police Investigating Large Fight Between SUNY Cortland Students and Four Teenagers – Two Teens Suffer Cuts to Face

Cortland Police say they, along with SUNY Cortland officials, are actively investigating a large fight that took place after 1:30 in the morning back on Saturday, September 6th. Cortland Police say officers responded to the area of Tompkins and Owego Streets in the City of Cortland for a “large-scale physical altercation.”

Officers arriving on scene found a chaotic scene with multiple people scattering from a large fight in the roadway. Parties involved in the fight were separated, Cortland Police say, with officers then beginning their investigation.

Police located and interviewed a group of four teenagers with ages ranging from 17 to 19 years old; the teens lived locally and were not part of SUNY Cortland. The four teens told police they were jumped by a group of college-aged males, Cortland Police say, near 70 Tompkins Street. This address is off-campus housing, Cortland Police added in a release.

Two of the four teens had visible injuries with one of them, an 18 year old male, having cuts to his lips. He would later be diagnosed with a mild concussion and bruised ribs from the fight. A second teen, also 18 years old, had a cut under his left eye and a torn-up t-shirt.

A third victim, a 17 year old, says he was physically attacked and had his Yankees hat stolen. Cortland Police added one of the teenagers’ cell phones was either lost or stolen from the fight.

Officers began to canvass the area, including 70 Tompkins Street. Cortland Police say multiple individuals were seen inside the residence and all refused to cooperate with the police. It took several minutes of knocking on the door by police for officers to speak with the occupants of 70 Tompkins, who Cortland Police say were unaware of the incident. Several suspects who are SUNY students and were connected to the altercation were later identified, Cortland Police said.

A video recording of the fight, posted to social media, shows between 15 and 20 college-age males confronting the four teenagers near the intersection of Tompkins and Owego. One of those teenagers would be surrounded by the college-age males, and then punched and kicked while he was on the ground. The fight would continue onto Tompkins Street itself with multiple college-aged males continuing their assault while one of the teenagers lays in the roadway. The video itself is just under 2 and a half minutes long.

A separate altercation of another teenager shows him being struck and then knocked to the ground while a third teenager is seen confronting another male, who is seen stealing the teenager’s hat before pushing him to the ground.

Cortland Police say officers are continuing to identify and interview others who were involved in the altercation. Several suspects remain under investigation at this time with charges pending, Cortland Police added.

“The Cortland Police Department takes violent incidents involving youth and college students seriously and is committed to holding those responsible accountable. This investigation remains open and active. The Cortland Police Department is working with the SUNY Cortland officials in this investigation.” Cortland Police said in a release.

Cortland Police is asking anyone who may have additional video footage or information related to the large fight to contact Lieutenant Dan Edwards at Cortland Police via phone at (607) 758-8307.

X101 News has reached out to SUNY Cortland for comment on the fight, who said any students who were involved in the altercation will be subject to the University’s student conduct process.