[h1]Police mum regarding Rather Hall altercation[/h1]
By
Brittany Shammas (
Last updated: 15 hours ago)
Police and university officials were tight-lipped Monday about what witnesses have described as a multiple-person assaultthat happened at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday in the Rather Hall lounge.
Witnesses and students involved in the incident said a group of 15 to 20 men,who some described as MSU football players, stormed into the dormitoryand hit and injured about seven students, some of them women.
Brent Mitchell, a communication junior who said he was sent to Lansing's Sparrow Hospital after being punched in theface,
said some of the men wore ski masks, but others were recognized as football teammembers.
"I walked up and said, 'It isn't worth it.' A guy with dreadlocks hit me and in the scuffle slapped, hitfemales to get them out of the way," Mitchell said.
MSU police directed all questions regarding the incidentto University Relations, which issued a statement saying police were investigating an altercation involving several people. MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said the fight involved multiple victims and suspects.
MSU associate athletics directorJohn Lewandowski said questions about the incident should be directed to Denbow.
Denbow said he was not aware of any arrests and did not know further details about injuries sustained by thoseinvolved.
"Investigation is continuing," he said. "I can't go beyond that."
He would not comment on whether the men involved were members of the football team.
"It's always my policy not to identify people by any activity they are involved in," he said. "Youwouldn't say members of debate team or Sigma Chi. It's important to be consistent."
Mitchell said members of his fraternity, Iota Phi Theta, had just finished a potluck event and were folding chairs inthe lounge when the men entered. The men said they were looking for a man who had been involved in a spat with one of them the night before during an Iota PhiTheta event at The Small Planet, 16800 Chandler Road, Mitchell said.
Mitchell said he was struck after the men realized the person they sought wasn't there. He said the altercationlasted for about a minute before the men left.
Mechanical engineering sophomore Andrew Green said he saw one of the men hit another student on his way out.
"He was coming downstairs and looked at him and punched him in the jaw," Green said.
Journalism freshman Mitch Lex said he entered the lounge as police arrived. About eight police officers were in thelobby and blood was on the floor, Lex said. Before bystanders were asked to leave, Lex said he saw one injured man.
"There was some medic treating this kid sitting in lounge area," he said. "It looked like he had abaseball in his cheek."
Mitchell said, above all, he was upset the event symbolizing the end of a week of community service ended withviolence.
"Physically, I'm okay," he said. "But I'm just saddened that (the event) ended the way itdid."
Beatin up on women and Iotas... cmon son. cmon.
