Story -tense help

Here is the story:

The group heads off to the party and Samantha debates whether to go with them, because she is annoyed with her friends for driving recklessly. Samantha decides to join the group at the party, but while the others are all drinking she remains sober because her gut tells her that things might get out of control with her friends behaving so carelessly. Around midnight Samantha decides to drive home, but first she goes to each of her friends and makes sure they have a safe ride home. Jessica has already left, and Ty is spending the night at a friend's, so everything appears fine until she locates Brad, who is staggering toward his car parked outside. Samantha can see that Brad is extremely intoxicated, so she rushes towards him but doesn't reach him in time and he speeds away. The next day at school everyone is relieved to see Brad in one piece. However, during first block an assembly is called and the students are informed that a grade 12 student was critically injured in a car crash the night before. He had been at a party, and while driving home was struck by another car in a hit-and-run. The driver of the other car appeared to be intoxicated, and the only description of the suspect was a Caucasian male in his late teens who was driving a red sports car. The students were asked to come forward if they had any information regarding this incident.

1. The students were asked to come forward if they had any information regarding this incident.

How come it is not like this:

2. The students are asked to come forward if they have any information regarding this incident. (Aren't you in the assembly right now? Not referring to yesterday anymore?)

Thanks.