The first incident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. and involved a girl walking home from Oak Grove High School, Thomas said.
A male approached the girl in the 5500 block of Judith Street, grabbed her backpack and a struggle ensued. The suspect then fled with two other males who were waiting nearby, Thomas said.
The girl was not injured, and the suspect has not been found.
About an hour later, four male suspects chased a 17-year-old boy onto a soccer field behind Fair Middle School in the 1700 block of McLaughlin Avenue, according to police.
The suspects beat the victim with a baseball bat and possibly metal pipes. The victim was injured but the wounds were not considered life-threatening, Thomas said.
The assailants did not steal anything and police are working to determine whether the beating was gang-related, Thomas said. Another assault occurred around 4 p.m. outside Mt. Pleasant High School at 1750 S. White Road.
A 13-year-old boy was hanging out with friends at the school when an argument began, Thomas said. The suspect, a boy between 14 and 16 years old, pulled out a knife and cut the 13-year-old boy on his hand before fleeing.
While all three crimes occurred near schools, Thomas said they are not related.
