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October 28, 2005
Arrest made in fraternity assault
An MU student will appear in court after Homecoming attack.
By ELIZABETH A. PHILLIPS
JEFFREY FORKAN was arrested Wednesday.
An MU sophomore was arrested Wednesday in connection with an Oct. 15 assault in front of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity house.
Jeffrey Forkan, 20, listed in the most recent edition of the university’s Greek Directory as a member of the fraternity, was arrested at the fraternity house by Columbia police Wednesday on suspicion of third-degree assault after he gave a statement to police. He was later released on his signature to appear in court, Columbia police Sgt. Ken Hammond said.
The arrest follows an attack in front of the house at 1301 University Ave. on a Maryland man visiting a friend over Homecoming weekend.
“(Forkan) admitted that he was involved in a physical altercation with this guy,” Columbia police Officer Bryan Leibhart said.
Hammond said police do not plan to make any other arrests in connection with the assault.
“He is the one we felt was responsible,” Hammond said.
Daniel Maddox, 20, of Waldorf, Md., said he was walking past the fraternity house about 3 a.m. Oct. 15 when six men surrounded him, called him a faggot and attacked him.
Minutes later, while talking to a woman who witnessed the attack, a man came from behind and repeatedly slammed Maddox’s face into the ground. Maddox said he was knocked unconscious by the blows. The woman, whose name was not released by police, reported that the attacker ran inside the Kappa Alpha Order house.
Maddox said he was happy to hear that an arrest was made but is still suffering from the injuries he sustained during the assault. He said he still has migraine headaches and will need plastic surgery for injuries on his forehead.
Any student found responsible of physical assault by MU’s Department of Student Life could face punishments ranging from a warning to an expulsion, said department director Mark Lucas. He said he had not yet heard about the arrest Thursday afternoon.
Forkan was arrested by Columbia police on suspicion of a minor in possession of alcohol and on suspicion of possessing false identification at 2:15 a.m. Oct. 16 at the fraternity house, just one day after the assault occurred.
Forkan had not responded to messages left on his voice mail as of 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Chip Wagner, president of MU’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Order, and other members of the fraternity declined to comment.
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