ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said racially motivated crimes, such as the assault against two Nigerian students near Beardshear Hall last Wednesday, “will not be tolerated on the Iowa State campus.”

Geoffroy released the statement after ISU Police arrested David Tett, 48, of Roland, on Wednesday.

“We are committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Geoffroy said. “The students who were targeted in this unfortunate incident did the right thing in alerting the Iowa State University Police.”

Capt. Gene Deisinger of the ISU Police said Tett walked in front of a vehicle driven by an international student from Nigeria. A second Nigerian student was a passenger in the car, which was traveling along Morrill Road near Beardshear Hall.

Tett then used a water bottle to spray the driver of the car with liquid through an open window, Deisinger said.

“We assume it to be water,” he said.

Tett is accused of screaming several racially derogatory comments at the passengers, and then spraying the second person with water.

“It was a racial slur,” Deisinger said, referring to the term Tett yelled at the students.

After Tett turned his back to the car and began to walk away, one of the car’s occupants followed Tett in an attempt to figure out what sparked the incident.

Officials said Tett then turned around to face the individual and flashed a pocket knife with its blade fully extended.

Deisinger said police reports did not indicate Tett made any additional verbal threats.

“There were no threats of injury,” Deisinger said. “I don’t believe there were any other threats made other than the open knife.”

The students telephoned the ISU Police, who arrested Tett at 3:23 p.m. near Curtiss Hall, Deisinger said.

“The quick response by our police officers resulted in the arrest of the suspect,” Geoffroy said. “The charges filed against the suspect reflect the seriousness of such incidents.”

Tett is charged with two counts of serious misdemeanor assault and one count of a weapons violation.

Officials from the Story County Jail said Monday that Tett was released on a bond of $8,450.

Deisinger said Iowa law increases the penalties for incidents determined to be “hate crimes.”

According to Section 729A in the Code of Iowa, hate crimes occur when the incident is committed due to a person’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age or physical or mental disability.

Deisinger said hate crimes of this nature on the ISU campus are “very rare,” especially ones in which a weapon is yielded.

Deisinger said Tett was not a student or faculty member.

He said there were no other reports of incidents involving Tett on the ISU campus Wednesday.

“Mr. Tett’s vehicle was parked off-campus near Buchanan Hall. I assumed that he walked onto campus,” Deisinger said. “I don’t know how he came on campus. I don’t know why he came on campus.”

Deisinger said he does not have any information to indicate that Tett was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.

“I don’t have any information to indicate that was the case,” he said.

Deisinger said when traumatic incidents such as this take place, students are usually referred to support systems at the Thielen Student Health Center, Student International Education Services, the Dean of Students Offices and other resources on campus.

Brenda Thorbs-Weber, assistant director of International Education Services, said there were nine students from Nigeria with non-immigrant visas in the spring of 2003 registered at Iowa State. There was also one visiting scholar from Nigeria, she said.