Pitt-Johnstown Students Say They Were Mistreated by Police at Party

The Frat Boy News daily campus police report for Tuesday:

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown Campus (compiled by WJAC-TV)
A backyard party at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown campus on Saturday has escalated into a battle between students and campus police.

UPJ Police Chief Kevin Grady said what students deemed a backyard barbecue was a drinking party gone bad. Police said they responded to the Woodland Townhouse home around midnight after a complaint of loud music. When officials arrived, they said they found students drinking, listening to music and cooking food over a large fire in a grill.

Police said they asked the students to put out the fire and quiet down. They also told student Chase Wanner, 22, to get in the house because he was drunk, police said. The students contend they were never told to put the fire out and Wanner said he didn’t know how long he had to stay inside because it wasn’t his house.

When campus police returned later, they arrested Wanner, who was outside, on charges of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Other students became upset and asked for the officers’ badge numbers. The students said they intended to report the officers for police brutality. At that time, officials said the altercation escalated.

Wanner said, “As we proceeded outside they said that my friends were blocking my path to the police car. My friend was pepper sprayed, the other was taken to the ground simply for asking what the ordeal was over.”

Grady said, “A lot of times when people are drinking some of their observations aren't on target and in this case, I’ve been here a long time and they're campus officers and they really used good judgment.”

In addition to Wanner, three other students were arrested: Luke Schmitmeyer, Cole Beehner and Randall Howe face several charged including rioting, which is a felony. All three were released from the Cambria County prison Monday after posting 10 percent of their $250,000 bond.Police said the four men and some students who got involved in the altercation with police could face more charges.