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GREENSBORO — Two freshmen at N.C. A&T were attacked Monday night on campus, according to the university and the students' family.

A&T issued a campus safety alert to all students late Tuesday.

Twins Dante and Demetrius Hester, 18, of Fayetteville, were attacked and stabbed about 7:30 p.m. Monday while leaving the campus cafeteria, their mother, Cheryl Hester, said.

Five men confronted the twins over the colors they were wearing, she said. Demetrius Hester was wearing a red, orange and yellow scarf that belonged to his 25-year-old brother, along with matching sneakers.

"One of the guys said, 'You can't wear those colors,'" Cheryl Hester said.

After a brief exchange, the men attacked the twins with a knife, Cheryl Hester said. Dante was cut on his back, neck and eye. Demetrius was cut along the top of the shoulder blade.

Cheryl Hester said friends rushed the twins to Moses Cone Hospital for treatment.

"The kids called us screaming that nobody was helping them," their mother said.

The brothers were treated and released from the hospital and are recovering at home in Fayetteville, she said.

"I was doing 95 (mph) flying up there," Cheryl Hester said. "When I found out the boys were OK, my first question was: Where was security? Why did my children have to call me and tell me they were being stitched up? Not one adult called me."

Mable Scott, A&T's assistant vice chancellor for university relations, offered few details about the attack when reached late Tuesday night.

"In order to safeguard the investigation that is incomplete and still ongoing by our university police department, some details were not shared with our office," Scott said. "They are trying to solve the case in order to find the perpetrators."

Cheryl Hester said she thinks the attack was gang-related because the men commented about colors. She said the attack was random, and her sons did not know the men.

Scott said police have yet to determine a motive, noting that A&T police Chief Richard Holden has not seen any "definitive evidence of gang activity" on campus.

Campus officials who normally contact parents in these situations were not notified, she said.

"It is unfortunate that we were not able to talk to Mrs. Hester on Monday evening, and I apologize for that," Scott said. "This is not a normal occurrence, and the proper systems and protocols have been put in place to ensure this does not happen again."

Cheryl Hester said Tuesday she is unsure if she will allow her sons to return to A&T.

"That may change. They probably have more courage than I do," she said. "Right now, we are not sure."

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or rseals@news-record.com