Fraternity party shut down

By Amanda Phipps
phippsa@mytjnow.com

Update (2:32 p.m. October 12): According to Sean Blackburn, Assistant Dean of Students, "The Student Activities staff have reviewed the incident that occurred during the Alpha Phi Alpha event and have determined that disciplinary action is not necessary.  Staff from Student Activities, Campus Police, and members of Alpha Phi Alpha will be working together to prevent future incidences."  Jamal Williams, APA president, had no comment about the incident. 

On Oct. 2, Winthrop police officers were working at a party hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at the Student Activity Center when a sergeant noticed disruptive activity in the center, according to the police report. 

Some people were yelling at each other and some were restrained to avoid physical altercations. 

Once the sergeant realized what was going on, he turned the gym lights on and radioed that there was a disturbance or a possible fight in the gym, according to the police report. 

The sergeant then approached the group of people that were engaged in the disruptive behavior and told the group and the fraternity members trying to diffuse the conflict that they must leave the building, according to the police report. 

The group refused the sergeant’s commands and another officer came to help. At this time, the group refused to leave or cooperate and tried to blend into the party group, according to the police report. 

The sergeant called for backup and told the fraternity members to shut down the party and keep the lights on, but some unknown people turned the lights back off, according to the police report. 

As the officer and sergeant constrained the first group of unknown males and forced them to exit the gym, a group of about 40 people converged upon the officers and pushed them. The officers then formed a wall to try to restrain the crowd from interfering, according to the report.

One subject physically shoved the sergeant in the chest; the sergeant then told the subject that he was under arrest for assaulting a police officer, according to the police report. 

When the sergeant attempted to place the suspect under arrest, the suspect resisted and began to physically assault the sergeant, which resulted in both the officer and suspect going through the back doors of the gym and down a flight of stairs, according to the police report. 

This action caused a laceration to the sergeant’s left finger.  

While the sergeant and officer were dealing with multiple people, two other officers were trying to prevent a large group of people from leaving the gym and approaching the officers, according to the police report. 

The sergeant contacted the Rock Hill Police Department to send additional units and to help get the situation under control. 

During this time, some fraternity members asked if the party could continue, to which the sergeant repeated that the party was over, according to the police report. 

However, the sergeant noticed that music was still playing and asked the DJ to turn the music off. 

The officer went back to the scene by the gym doors where people were still trying to interfere, according to the police report. 

At this time, the Rock Hill Police Department arrived and began attempting to disperse the crowd that was inside and outside the gym, according to the police report. 

Another suspect continued to try to interfere with the officers, which incited the others to stay in the area rather than leave. The suspect cursed and made violent gestures towards the officers, according to the police report. 

The suspect refused multiple orders to leave the property and was placed under arrest.

Another suspect also cursed at the officers and did not comply with the officer’s commands to leave.

 The suspect then kicked a lamppost, damaging it. The officer then arrested the suspect, according to the police report. 

While the chaos continued, fraternity members asked the officers again if it was necessary to shut down the party, according to the police report. 

At this point, the sergeant heard music, which the DJ was continuing to play, despite being told to shut down, according to the police report.

The sergeant also noticed the gym was not cleared out. The sergeant then advised the fraternity members that they would not be able to hold another party at Winthrop unless they did as they were instructed several times to do, according to the police report. 

At this point, everything was shut down. 

The officers remained in the area to restore order, according to the police report. 

The three suspects were identified as Clinton Jr. College students and were the only arrests made during the officers’ attempts to hand the situation, according to the police report. 

Chief of the Campus Police Frank Zebedis said the subjects who were arrested were charged with city court offenses. 

“They will pay a fine and or do some jail time,” Zebedis said. “However, that depends upon whether or not they are found guilty and the sentence issued by the courts.”

Clinton Jr. College knows about the incident and it be up to the college whether the subjects will be punished by the school, Zebedis said.  

After calm was restored, the sergeant explained to the fraternity members that the party had to be shut down due to disorderly behavior, according to the police report. 

The three suspects were transported to the Rock Hill Law Center Jail.