2008 Woodie Awards
Noises from fight in Washburn Hall mistaken for gunshots, two arrested
Ekene Ikeme
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
University police and San Jose police officers entered Washburn Hall on Saturday after being notified by residents and staff of gunshots heard in the hall.
Wayne Parmenter, a freshman majoring in history and resident of Washburn, said he was awake at around 1:30 a.m. when UPD officers entered the residence hall.
"I was pretty scared," Parmenter said. "I didn't know what was going on. I was confused."
Kenneth Rosales, a freshman majoring in environmental studies and resident of Washburn, said UPD's response brought confusion to the residents.
"I would say everyone was pretty scared," Rosales said. "They told everyone to stay inside and lock their doors."
After responding to the disturbance, UPD said it realized that the sounds were not gunshots, but a fight that broke out between two males, who have not been confirmed as residents or students of SJSU.
"There was a report, but it was not gunshots," said UPD Sgt. John Laws. "Actually it was a fight between two people and I think the banging on the walls caused residents to believe there were gunshots."
Laws said because the police responded quickly with an emergency procedure no injuries or harm occurred among residents.
"When we were told of the gunshots," Laws said. "UPD officers arrived as soon as possible and San Jose police assisted. They first secured the building by not letting anyone come within 10 feet of the building entrance and did not let anyone leave either. The students inside had to 'shelter in place,' which means go inside their rooms and lock the doors until further instructions."
Laws said a combination of housing staff members and several residents identified the two males who were causing the disturbance.
While the police were trying to secure the building, some students said the way they instructed the students caused further confusion.
"They ran in there with guns," Rosales said of the police. "They were pointing and yelling at people telling them to get in their room. They were yelling 'get in your room, get in your room right now.' We weren't able to get out of our room until around 3:30 a.m."
Parmenter, who was on his computer at the time, said all the commotion was coming from the room next to his.
"I could hear the police knocking on the door either across from me or the door down," Parmenter said. "I heard a lot of yelling, but I couldn't understand what they were saying."
According to Rosales there were lots of police at the scene.
"When they first came in there was, like, ten officers," Rosales said. "But then after that about six or seven more police cars came. There were UPD and San Jose police."
Laws said after the two males who started the disturbance were identified they were arrested.
"We arrested the two males and they were charged with a misdemeanor," Laws said. "We filed a full police report and sent copies of it to housing services and student conduct."
Wayne Parmenter, a freshman majoring in history and resident of Washburn, said he was awake at around 1:30 a.m. when UPD officers entered the residence hall.
"I was pretty scared," Parmenter said. "I didn't know what was going on. I was confused."
Kenneth Rosales, a freshman majoring in environmental studies and resident of Washburn, said UPD's response brought confusion to the residents.
"I would say everyone was pretty scared," Rosales said. "They told everyone to stay inside and lock their doors."
After responding to the disturbance, UPD said it realized that the sounds were not gunshots, but a fight that broke out between two males, who have not been confirmed as residents or students of SJSU.
"There was a report, but it was not gunshots," said UPD Sgt. John Laws. "Actually it was a fight between two people and I think the banging on the walls caused residents to believe there were gunshots."
Laws said because the police responded quickly with an emergency procedure no injuries or harm occurred among residents.
"When we were told of the gunshots," Laws said. "UPD officers arrived as soon as possible and San Jose police assisted. They first secured the building by not letting anyone come within 10 feet of the building entrance and did not let anyone leave either. The students inside had to 'shelter in place,' which means go inside their rooms and lock the doors until further instructions."
Laws said a combination of housing staff members and several residents identified the two males who were causing the disturbance.
While the police were trying to secure the building, some students said the way they instructed the students caused further confusion.
"They ran in there with guns," Rosales said of the police. "They were pointing and yelling at people telling them to get in their room. They were yelling 'get in your room, get in your room right now.' We weren't able to get out of our room until around 3:30 a.m."
Parmenter, who was on his computer at the time, said all the commotion was coming from the room next to his.
"I could hear the police knocking on the door either across from me or the door down," Parmenter said. "I heard a lot of yelling, but I couldn't understand what they were saying."
According to Rosales there were lots of police at the scene.
"When they first came in there was, like, ten officers," Rosales said. "But then after that about six or seven more police cars came. There were UPD and San Jose police."
Laws said after the two males who started the disturbance were identified they were arrested.
"We arrested the two males and they were charged with a misdemeanor," Laws said. "We filed a full police report and sent copies of it to housing services and student conduct."
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