After increased police activity in the town and on campus due to a recent series of robberies and burglaries, Oberlin police had reasons to approach an Oberlin student this time. On the night of Friday, Sept. 30, Oberlin police officers gathered at North Quad, and a student left in handcuffs.

A male College sophomore was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct by intoxication, obstruction of official business and resisting arrest. He was also given a summons for underage consumption of alcohol.

The incident began with the student vandalizing the bulletin board on the first floor of Burton Hall. College sophomore and Burton Residential Assistant Allison Eddy saw the board.

“I was doing rounds in Burton,” she said, “and I noticed the bulletin board was absolutely mauled.”

Eddy ascertained from a witness that this student had torn down the bulletin board and was very intoxicated. She found College junior and Senior RA of Burton Susie Sun. Sun had made the bulletin board display.

“I ran into Allison,” Sun said. “She told me someone had ripped down my duty board, which took a lot of work. I was kind of upset.”

At this point, accounts of exactly what took place begin to differ.

“There was lots of confusion,” said Eddy.

Still, all participants involved report that the offender became extremely verbally abusive toward both Eddy and Sun. He yelled nonsensically and used excessive profanity.

He also began to become physically as well as verbally threatening.

“I tried to calm him down,” said Sun. “He started circling me.”

Sun told the student that “if [he] continue[s], [she would have] to call security.”

Although Sun stressed she “didn’t call to spite him,” she contacted the office of Safety and Security.

“It was going to be just an incident report,” she continued. “I was definitely scared because I was by myself.”

Over the phone, Oberlin Safety and Security heard the student in the background and called the Oberlin Police.

“Whenever there’s a fight or threats of harm we call the police.” explained Director of Safety and Security Bob Jones.

The Safety and Security officers that responded were Sergeant Gary Kriesen, Officer Leondist DuVall, Officer Mark Wiegand and Officer Sidney Small.

“At around 10:45 we received a call from Safety and Security,” said Public Information Officer of the Oberlin Police Captain Cliff Barnes, “and an officer responded to East Hall for assistance with a male who threatened the life of a female student.”

By the time the police arrived, they found security officers telling the student to stop, and the police officers joined in. He attempted to flee and Officer Feurstein of the Oberlin Police grabbed him by the arm.

According to Barnes, the student reached “both hands into the front of his waistband,” which made police think he may have been reaching for a weapon. Police “grabbed the white male again and attempted to bring him to the ground, with a minor scuffle.” Officer Chapman assisted in putting the offender in handcuffs, observing him to be highly intoxicated.

He was then turned over to Safety and Security, who brought him to Allen Memorial Medical Center for observation. He was eventually released.

The charges against the student, who cannot himself comment on the incident for legal reasons, were dropped, and only the citation for underage consumption remains.

“I think what hurt me the most,” said Eddy, “is that he is my friend. Afterwards I felt really bad but I knew he deserved it. He’s a good guy but it sucks what happens when you drink too much.”

The student apologized after the incident to Eddy and Sun.

“Nothing like this has ever happened before,” Sun said.

Barnes added that this type of incident has been on the rise recently.

“It seems to be happening a little bit more frequently.”