Penn State football players are being interviewed by State College police in connection with an assault that occurred during a downtown apartment party early Sunday morning, police said yesterday.

Officials wouldn't say which players are being interviewed -- standard police procedure mandates that authorities not release names of people involved in an investigation until formal charges are filed.

According to police, 11 to 12 men forced their way into a third-floor apartment at Meridian II, 646 E. College Ave., shortly after midnight and assaulted several men who were attending a party.

At least one person was struck with a bottle during the fight, Lt. John Gardner said.

Sgt. Chris Fishel said it was not immediately clear when charges would be filed, if at all.

"That could be a couple days or a couple months," he said. "It just depends on who says what." Later, he added, "The stakes are a little bit higher because there are athletes involved."

A spokesman for the team said coaches and athletic staff are looking into the incident.

"We know something occurred, [but] we don't know what occurred," said Guido D'Elia, Penn State's director of branding and communications. "[Penn State coach Joe Paterno] just wants to make sure he gets all this information before he determines how he wants to handle it. As in the past, he'll make sure he handles it."

Events leading up to the assault began on the corner of High Street and East College Avenue late Saturday night, Fishel said.

Police said offensive comments were made to a woman by at least one of three men, who have all been identified by police. The woman's boyfriend became angry, leading to a physical confrontation among the men, Gardner said.

Police said they believe the assault and burglary at the apartment stemmed from the street confrontation.

Joseph McGarrity (sophomore-international politics), a resident of the apartment, said he saw the men push their way into his apartment.

"I thought, 'How am I going to get these guys out of the apartment, like right now. They're not supposed to be here,' " he said.

Gardner, who issued the initial statement Monday, said one person involved in the fight sought treatment

at a local hospital and emergency medical personnel treated another person at the scene.

Jack Britt (junior-crime, law and justice) said he was struck by a bottle and was treated at the hospital for about an hour after the incident. He said he walked away with a lump on his head and plans on pressing charges.

A third partygoer, who does not attend Penn State, was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the face, leaving him bloodied, McGarrity said.

Gardner said victims suffered injuries such as abrasions on the body, blackened eyes and bruised ribs.

The men who entered the apartment uninvited could face numerous charges, Gardner said.

"The mere fact that someone entered a residence uninvited -- that's a burglary," Gardner said, adding that the men who entered the apartment and engaged in the fight could also face simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal mischief charges.

Burglary and criminal trespass charges are felonies, Fishel said.

Fishel said the case is now in the hands of department detectives, who are currently gathering eyewitness accounts and statements. Once they're finished with the investigation, they'll consult Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira about whether or not charges should be filed, he said.

Madeira said he was aware of the case -- which he called "fairly straightforward" -- but said the police department is still conducting the investigation.

"I would rather they go about it right than go about it quickly," he said.

Larry Himes (junior-labor and industrial relations) said he met with Penn State's director of Judicial Affairs Joe Puzycki yesterday afternoon. He is the only known resident of the apartment to discuss the incident with Judicial Affairs. Puzycki was not available for comment.

Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley did not return multiple phone calls by press time yesterday.