Videos of student attacked outside Five Points bar are ‘disconcerting,’ USC president says

The president of the University of South Carolina and one of the area’s oldest merchants associations announced on Thursday their support for a student who was attacked outside of a bar earlier this month.

USC President Harris Pastides said through a written release that University staff reached out and offered their full support to 22-year-old Ryan Chisolm, who broke his jaw and had his teeth pushed into his gums after a man walked up behind him, placed him in a chokehold and hurled him to the side once Chisolm was unconscious.

The Five Points association also said in a statement they were “shocked by the video of the cruel act that occurred.” They wished Chisolm a speedy recovery and swift return to the university.

Chilsom said the incident happened on the sidewalk in the early morning hours of March 19, after he and several others were pushed out of the Pour House by bar staffers. The attack was captured on video through the social networking site Snap.

“We are very concerned about the incident that occurred at Pour House over St. Patrick’s Day weekend,” Pastides said. “The aggressive behavior exhibited is not consistent with the expectations we have for our neighbors in Five Points. The videos that are now surfacing are disconcerting to say the least.”

Pastides added that the university also has expressed their concern and dismay over the situation with the Columbia Police Department, the Five Points Association and Justin Bamberg, Chisolm’s attorney.

Bamberg, a USC alumnus, said he was proud of his alma mater for speaking up about the incident.

“USC has been very supportive of Ryan (Chisolm), and it makes both of us even prouder to be Gamecocks,” Bamberg said.

Jennifer Timmons, spokeswoman for the police department, said in a statement on Tuesday that investigators have been “gathering additional witness statements while reviewing surveillance video.” A police incident report states surveillance cameras on the corner of Greene and Harden streets could have caught the incident.

Chisolm, however, doesn’t remember much of what happened. He just remembers waking up disoriented and covered in blood from landing face first on the pavement.

Chisolm said he had never had any issues at Five Points before that night and didn’t understand why he was attacked.

“Why did I have to be the one unconscious on the ground,” Chisolm said. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Investigators are asking those with information about the attack to call 888-CRIME-SC where tips can also be left anonymously.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Videos of student attacked outside Five Points bar are ‘disconcerting,’ USC president says."