Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Talan Isaac Bens, 19, of Gainesville, Georgia, was arrested yesterday after allegedly attacking and choking a man who was walking in a group on the University of Florida campus.

At about 10:53 a.m. on January 18, a “large” group of students was walking from W. University Avenue toward the Honors Dorms when Bens and a black male who was later identified as R.J. Priest started harassing them with racial slurs against Indian and African American individuals.

The victim and three others split off from the larger group to go to Garage Four to get some belongings from their car, and Bens and Priest allegedly followed them, still harassing them.

As the victim and witnesses approached the garage, Bens allegedly shoved the victim, who shoved him back. The two groups exchanged words while the victim and witnesses walked toward Beaty Towers, and Bens reportedly kept challenging the victim to fight.

The witnesses tried to step between Bens and the victim, but Bens allegedly called the victim another slur and tried to shove him; Priest allegedly shoved the victim, and Bens allegedly grabbed the victim by the throat and pulled him into the street. The witnesses told the responding University of Florida Police Department officer that they tried to stop the attack, but Bens had the victim in a choke hold from behind.

The victim reportedly lost consciousness, and his body fell to the asphalt, causing a large bump on his head. The victim regained consciousness after a few seconds, and the two alleged attackers ran away. One of the witnesses reportedly captured the incident on video. The victim reportedly refused medical treatment.

Bens was arrested on Museum Road about two hours later and charged with battery by strangulation. Priest has not been booked into the jail. Bens’ criminal history is unavailable; Judge Tatum Davis set bail at $50,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.