A Warwick man was stabbed on Thayer Street outside Cafe Paragon following a verbal argument on the night of Jan. 16.
Both the 31-year-old victim, Nicholas Johnston, and his attacker are unaffiliated with the University.
Paragon Manager Theo Spiridis said Johnston went back inside the restaurant after the fight, and then "got up, paid his bill and drove himself to the hospital." Johnston told no one about the fight when he returned and only realized he was injured after he sat down to continue his meal, Spiridis added.
Violence on Thayer is an uncommon occurrence, according to Lt. John Ryan of the Providence Police Department. The stabbing was "probably our first felony assault up there for awhile," Ryan said. He added that he does not think this incident indicates any increase in crime.
Johnston did not know the attacker and is choosing not to press charges, according to the police report.
Students need not worry that they are in any increased danger, Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, said.
"Certainly, we try to remind Brown students that you are living in the city of Providence, and, as you would in any city, we remind students to be cautious and use common sense," Klawunn said.
Klawunn said the Providence Police Department works in tandem with Brown's Department of Public Safety around campus, but this incident was too far from central University buildings for DPS to get involved.
Paragon's business has not been affected by the stabbing, Spiridis said.
"We had nothing to do with it. It's not like we had a fight inside the restaurant between two guests," he said. "I can't tell people how to behave in public."
Students said the stabbing does not affect their perception of safety on campus.
"It didn't involve any Brown students, and it didn't happen when Brown was in session," said Max Hannan '14.