2 Grant High Students Assaulted by Group : Violence: Police say the ninth-graders were approached by more than 20 youths who demanded money. The pair were treated for cuts and bruises.

Wielding hammers and baseball bats, a group of more than 20 youths attacked and beat two Grant High School students Friday when they refused the group’s demand for money, according to school officials.

The attack sent both ninth-grade boys to North Hollywood Medical Center, where they were treated for cuts and bruises and later released to their parents. But school officials were stunned.

“We haven’t had anything this large happen before with extortion,” said Grant assistant principal Joe Walker. “This was a group of predators seeking prey, and they just decided to pick on these kids. It’s odd that there were this many people--20 to 30 of them--out looking for trouble.”

Both school security and a unit from the Los Angeles Police Department North Hollywood Division responded to the incident. Police Lt. Nick Zingo said police could not provide details until Monday.

According to Walker, the victims were walking down Hatteras Street near Burbank Boulevard at the edge of the campus about 10:30 Friday morning when they were approached by a group of between 20 and 30 people demanding money.

When the boys either didn’t have money or refused to comply, they were hit with sticks, baseball bats and hammers, Walker said, adding that the boys were off-campus during school hours.

Both boys were taken by paramedics to North Hollywood Medical Center, and the school nurse accompanied them.

The victims, whom Walker did not identify, did not get good looks at their attackers. “They were covering their faces,” Walker said. He added later: “We don’t know if they were our students or non-students or students from other schools.”

Walker said, however, that he did not believe the attack was gang-related.