Seattle Police are still investigating the details of an assault at Golden Gardens Park that took place on May 2 and left one man with nerve damage to his eyes.

According to Det. Drew Fowler of Seattle Police Department, officers have not yet taken a suspect into custody. However, the victim was able to provide the name of the suspect: the two were classmates together at a local technology college.

The suspect assaulted the victim by gouging and pushing sand into his eyes.

Fowler could not disclose whether the man permanently lost his sight from the attack, but said, “He should be able to return to work soon.”

The assault took place on May 2 at the park. Police spoke to the victim on May 4, and he told them that the night of the incident he and his girlfriend were at the park with other classmates. Another group of “rowdy” classmates arrived. Out of nowhere, the suspect tackled him from behind. Then the suspect choked the victim. The victim said he could not breath for at least five seconds. A friend of the victim’s broke the two apart.

Later as the victim was leaving, he asked the suspect why he had tackled him. The suspect responded by slapping and then punching him in the face. A brawl erupted between the groups. In the fight another suspect held the victim down, and the prime suspect gouged the victim’s eyes with his thumbs. The victim described the pain as “excruciating.”

The fight broke up and the victim’s girlfriend rushed him to Swedish Hospital. He suffered optical nerve damage that was so severe he had to be transferred to Harborview Medical Center. He also had a deep laceration on his shin.

The victim told officers that the suspect is an army veteran who owns weapons and has anger problems. The suspect was known for choking out students in class.

Police wrote a statement for the victim and read it to him because he could not see. The victim was able to provide the name of the suspect and telephone numbers of the people at the incident.