Reward Offered For Info In UW-Stout Student's Fatal Assault

MENOMONIE, Wis. (WCCO/AP) — Candles, flowers and cards stood as part of a memorial Wednesday outside the Menomonie pizza parlor where a University of Wisconsin-Stout student was brutally attacked.

According to police, 24-year-old Hussain Saeed Anahdi, of Saudi Arabia, was found unconscious early Sunday morning outside Toppers Pizza. He died the next day.

Police are searching for the man who severely beat the junior business administration student. The suspect last seen running away down Main Street.

Many on campus are concerned, wanting to know the motivation behind the beating death. Police say they cannot determine the motive, but will not dismiss the possibility it was a hate crime.

Omar Alkohmos, who was a translator for Alnahdi when he first arrived on campus, said the parents of many international students at the university are scared.

"You are allowed to go from your home to class and from class to your house and lock the door," he said.

Some believe the person responsible for Anahdi's death is being protected by people on campus who know him.

The university hopes a $15,000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of that person will be enough to get them to speak up. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it's also putting up $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.

CAIR national director Nihad Awad says there's a rising number of anti-Muslim incidents nationwide, which raises concerns about a possible bias motive in this case.

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