East Carolinian

Issue date: 1/22/09 Section: News

Media Credit: staff photo

Media Credit: staff photo

The university was closed Tuesday due to inclement weather, but that didn't stop students from braving the cold to have some fun.

Over 100 students came out to central campus in front of the library pillars to engage in a massive free-for-all snowball fight on Tuesday afternoon, suited up in warm clothing and armed for some good-natured snow slinging.

Residents of West End dormitories and commuter students alike gathered with make shift shields formed out of Tupperware containers, sleds and even a shopping cart to protect themselves from the fray.

James Talbert, a junior exercise physiology major heard about the event from Facebook and told his friends.

"I easily spent two hours out there," Talbert said, describing the fight. "It was easily one of the best times I've had on campus in awhile. I hope to do it again next snow."

The Facebook event was created the day before by ECU's Capture the Flag group, and as word of snow spread, the number of attendees increased exponentially.

When the university announced that classes would be cancelled on Tuesday, students bundled up and headed out.

However, things turned dangerous when some students decided to throw icy snowballs and trays full of ice at others, even hitting some in the face.

Rebecca Mueffelmann, sophomore exercise physiology major, noted that a lot of students were aiming for the face, causing ice to hit one student in the eye during the fight. She says that she helped that student, calling this dangerous snowball throwing "immature."

"I was the one who ended up helping the fellow who caught snowballs to his eyes during one of the fights outside of the Galley in the East Pointe Plaza," Mueffelmann said. "I was surprised that no one else took action, especially after some guy threw a tray full of snow into his face while he was down on the ground holding a hand over his eye."

Around 4 p.m., the snowballers moved their fight to College Hill, where ECU police were monitoring the activity, according to some involved in the fight.

"On the way up we passed some people who told us that the police were 'arresting and macing people,' so I decided to go home instead," said senior English major Ashley Oles, who was at the fight.

Once at College Hill students lined either side of the road and began throwing snowballs indiscriminately until the arrival of campus police.

Police car sirens chirped for students to halt their games and when they did not, action was taken, according to students who attended the fight.

Jamin No alleges that she witnessed a police officer tackle a student and continued to film the officer restraining the student with force, eventually handcuffing him.

No, a sophomore apparel merchandising major, says she did not hear police warn the student before tackling him; however, she overheard from other snowballers that the student in question perhaps threw a snowball at the officer, which incited action.

A Youtube video was posted shortly after the alleged incident, which depicted a police officer tackling a student to the ground while several students milled around on College Hill. On the video, a male voice says, "Whoa, hey-he just tasered that kid!" A female voice exclaims, "What the hell are you doing?" and "That was ridiculous." The video is shaky and neither the police officer nor the student can be identified. It is unclear if the student threw a snowball at the officer or not.

Campus police were contacted for comment; however, they were not able to immediately comment on the day's events.



This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.

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