University of Texas (UT) at Austin junior Bryan Davis said he was walking to a friend's apartment when a balloon exploded hear him and splashed him what he thinks is bleach, Fox 7 Austin reported.

He believes the "bleach bomb" was thrown at him from a balcony above him at the University Towers apartment complex. He also said he thinks it was done because he is African-American.

"I kind of just hear something exploding near me and I feel a light sting on my leg," Davis told Fox 7. "People might look at it as a prank, but to be a minority at such a large school, even pranks like this, it doesn't come off the way you think it might when you're doing it. For me, it was kind of humiliating and embarrassing."

Police responded to a similar incident last fall, but could not find a suspect. Davis' case has started a new investigation.

"They (detectives) might be able to go out and look in the area and see who had surveillance cameras out there or any potential witnesses that were in the area that could have seen something," said Austin Police Department Cpl. David Boyd.

While some may categorize the incident as a prank, Boyd said the "bleach bomb" can have dangerous and permanent effects.

"If anybody were to get bleach thrown at them in their eyes it could be a very serious situation where it could potentially blind you," Boyd said.

Davis told the Burnt Orange Report it took hours for him to shake off the shock of the incident and he no longer feels safe walking on the West Campus alone.

"I feel like a fool having had so much pride in front of others about the school I go to," Davis said. "Now I can't help but to feel embarrassed for both myself and the school for the reputation it's starting to get as being hostile towards blacks, Asians, and other minorities."

Davis, a political science student, said he can now say he experienced a situation like the racial issues he is passionate about.

"These issues don't go away until we talk about them, we talk about viable ideas and solutions about how we can eradicate this kind of racism," Davis said. "We have to talk about it, or people won't understand that it's not just a joke when you throw a bleach-filled balloon at a minority student."