TennesseeTicket

From: Chuck Cantrell To: SCRAPPY@RAVEN.UTC.EDU Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:23:42 -0400 Subject: [UTC-MEMO] Incident on campus UTC Police and Chattanooga City Police responded to a call Thursday evening about 11 p.m. of a large, disorderly crowd at the Lupton Library. Upon arrival, police found a crowd of about 1,000 students congregating outside the library. The crowd began storming the library doors, chanting "Let us in!" "Take the library!" and other statements as they attempted to enter the library. UTC Police told the crowd to disperse. Instead members of the crowd began to climb up on the library and jump into the crowd. Some threw items at the police officers on site. Police sprayed mace above the heads of students to disperse the crowd. The Library was closed for a a little over an hour to allow the crowd to disperse and police regained control of the site. Chattanooga City Police made five arrests and issued one misdemeanor citation. According to reports to the UTC Police, the event was an event planned by students using text messages and social networks telling students to be at the UTC Lupton Library at 11 p.m. for a party. Other campuses have reported such incidents. "I know that some of the students believe this was a harmless gathering, but when you try to force your way into a building and jumping off buildings, then you've gone beyond harmless fun. We are the middle of exam week, and there were students inside the library trying to study and conduct research, and this crowd disrupted the operation of the library. We greatly appreciate the assistance of the Chattanooga Police and the restraint demonstrated by all of the law enforcement officials who responded," said Chuck Cantrell, assistant vice chancellor for university relations. An investigation by UTC Police and the Office of Student Development into the situation is ongoing.