The first weekend of break was marked by two incidences of battery.,”Crimes on Marquette's campus and in its near campus neighborhood decreased over winter break with the absence of many students, but some incidents marred what was otherwise a slow month for the Department of Public Safety.
The first weekend of break was marked by two incidences of battery. According to DPS reports, a physical altercation was reported in front of Real Chili, 419 E. Wells St., on Dec. 15 at 2:38 a.m. According to Capt. Russ Shaw, Associate Director of DPS, the fight began as a verbal altercation at a George Webb Restaurant, 803 N. 16th St., over who was next in line to be served.
According to Shaw, though the fight separated itself upon the arrival of DPS, one subject, a 27-year-old male alumnus, continued to punch one of the victims. He then struck a male DPS officer when the officer attempted to remove the subject from the victim. The Milwaukee Police Department was contacted and the alumnus was taken into custody for battery.
The second incident occurred on Dec. 16, at Caffrey's Pub, 717 N. 16th St. According to Shaw, the confrontation began when a woman in the bar attempted to throw her beer at another male patron. The man had allegedly made a derogatory comment toward her, Shaw said.
The woman missed, accidentally hitting a 21-year-old male student. According to Shaw, the student was struck several times in the face by the woman's 22-year-old boyfriend. He believed the student to be the man who had made the derogatory comment, Shaw said. The student was transported by ambulance to Aurora Sinai Hospital, and MPD cited the 22-year-old male.
The holiday season did not end happily for students living in a residence in the 900 block of North. 19th Street. On Dec. 26, a 21-year-old male student reported that two unknown suspects entered his secured, attended residence at 12:50 a.m., according to the DPS report.
The student pretended to be asleep while the suspects removed property valued at $3,450. Property removed included two laptops, an XBox console, 15 video games, an MP3 player and a bottle of vodka.
DPS responded to the first robbery of the new year on Jan. 8. According to the report, an 18-year-old man not affiliated with Marquette attacked a 21-year-old female student with a broom handle. The woman was walking off the elevator on the third level of Parking Structure 1, 749 N. 16th St., when the man approached her, demanded her car keys and battered her with the broom. After handing over her property the student fled the scene and immediately contacted DPS.
After a plain-clothes officer returned to the scene of the crime, he noticed the suspect, who had most likely reappeared in search of the student's car, Shaw said. The suspect was taken into custody by MPD, where he confessed to the entire crime. The student was transported by ambulance to Aurora Sinai Medical Center, 945 N. 12th St., treated for minor injuries, and released.
The Vacant House Watch program offered by DPS over break proved a success in its 22nd year. Sue Cooper, DPS Crime Prevention Officer, said while it is a possibility some students have not yet had the opportunity to make a report, DPS has not heard from any students registered with the program that had issues with their homes.
“