American student stabbed in Rome

Rome - According to police, a student from the United States studying at an American university in Rome was stabbed about 25 times as he slept following a Halloween party at a club. The student has been hospitalized and is in serious condition.

The alleged attacker is also an American student (with both US and Italian citizenship). He was arrested Thursday morning, and will likely have to appear in court Friday, The AP reports. Police say the wounded student is about 20 years old, but have yet to release his name. The attacker is being identified only by his initials, A.R., The Telegraph reports. Both young men are students at John Cabot University in Rome, the University's president Franco Pavoncello confirmed to The AP. Mr. Pavoncello also said that the stab wounds do not appear to be life threatening. Police say the victim, the assailant, and another friend had gone to sleep after a night of drinking. The attacker woke up to attack the victim, Italy's Gazzetta del Sud newspaper reports. Police think the attack may have been the result of an argument, but nothing is certain. Another student, also American, was slightly injured in the attack. "We are trying to figure out what happened, beyond the fact that it was Halloween, which can be a crazy night," Franco Pavoncello told The Telegraph. He also said that the University was sending "people" to visit the injured boy in the hospital. It is unclear if Mr. Pavoncello was referring to police officers, school personnel, or fellow students. The attack comes 5 years to the day of the stabbing death of Meredith Kercher, a British student who had also been studying in Italy. Kercher's roommate, Amanda Knox and Amanda's Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty of sexually assaulting and stabbing Meredith . Amanda was sentenced to 26 years in prison and her boyfriend was sentenced to 25. Amanda appealed the verdict and in 2011, her conviction was overturned, and she was set free.