Two victims attacked on new East Palo Alto footbridge over US-101

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (BCN/KTVU) - Two robberies occurred Thursday in East Palo Alto on a recently-opened footbridge that allows pedestrians to cross over U.S. Highway 101, according to the East Palo Alto Police Department.

The first robbery victim had been walking westbound on the bridge around 8 p.m., when he was approached by a group of about six teenage boys.

One of the teens demanded his cell phone and backpack before the group attacked him, police said.

The victim was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

Later Thursday evening, at 9:29 p.m., another man was walking eastbound along on the bridge when he was surrounded by a group of six to eight teens who asked him what he had in his pockets.

When the victim pulled out a pocketknife to protect himself, the group grabbed nearby bricks and started throwing them at him, police said.

The young men fled westbound over the pedestrian bridge, according to police. East Palo Alto police plan to monitor the area for safety, according to a press release.

The bridge opened May 18 with the purpose of connecting two neighborhoods separated by Highway 101.

At the time, East Palo Alto Mayor Lisa Gautheir said, "This overpass brings us together physically and is symbolic of joining and sharing resources."

Police found no surveillance camera footage in the area to help identify suspects, and ask anyone with information about either robbery to contact East Palo Alto Police Department's anonymous tip line at (650) 409-6792.