http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive...03dnews-01.asp
Thursday, July 31, 2003 ]
Police: Fraternity stabbing cause unclear
By Nicholas Kershbaumer
Collegian Staff Writer
Despite rumors, a clear cause of the knifing that occurred early Sunday morning in front of a fraternity house remains unknown.
A member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, 324 E. Beaver Ave., was stabbed three times during a fight outside a party there, fraternity member Joshua Nester said.
Nester, an English major from the Class of 2003, said five people standing near the line for the party -- three male and two female individuals -- began fighting with two Kappa Alpha members and a member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, 329 E. Prospect Ave. The five were local residents and not Penn State students, he said.
Kappa Alpha is withholding the names of members involved because the case is still pending, Nester said. The State College Police Department has several suspects, but no arrests have been made, Sgt. John Wilson said.
The member that was stabbed three times by a male individual received puncture wounds to his lower torso, his lower back and the inside of his left bicep, Nester said. A female individual also struck the victim with a green, metal fence post the fraternity had used to hold a tiki torch, he said.
The other Kappa Alpha member involved in the fight was sliced on his arms, and the Sigma Alpha Mu member was sliced on one of his hands, Nester said. A police report only indicated the stabbing victim was hospitalized.
While some partygoers said they heard rumors over what incited the fight, Nester said he does not know the cause.
Steve Dorris (senior-information sciences and technology) said he was inside the house as the fight was taking place. When he stepped outside, whoever had stabbed the victim had fled, he said. Dorris said he had overheard someone mention that racial slurs were said.
Nester said he doubted anyone used racial slurs, but if someone had, it was not a Kappa Alpha member.
"You know how people start talking," he said. "They see a half-truth, and they go with it."
Nester said he was behind the fraternity house when the altercation started. Police arrived as soon as the fight broke out, he said. Police met him behind the house, where he explained the situation, and then walked around to the front with them, he said. As soon as the five local residents saw the officer, they fled on foot, Nester said.
Robbie Mireno, a criminal justice major from the Class of 2003, said he was in front of the fraternity and witnessed the fight break out. As soon as he saw punches flying everywhere, he got away from the fight, Mireno said.
"Tempers were flaring, and alcohol was something that was thrown into the mix," he said.
While Mireno said he does not know the exact reason for the fight, he said it seemed to be over a misunderstanding between a fraternity member and someone in the other group. He said a personal vendetta might have existed between the two.
Nester said a Kappa Alpha member knew people in the five-person group from high school, but said he does not know how many.
The stabbing victim is banged up and has several stitches but is otherwise OK, Nester said.
He said while the knifing was unfortunate, it was not a completely unexpected occurrence, especially when alcohol raises emotions and dulls senses of judgement.
"People are going to fight, especially if you're young," Nester said. "[The knife was] just taking it to the next level."
Update
Linear Mode
