After initial claims by city officials that University of Minnesota students were responsible for much of the law breaking during Halloween weekend, police data does not seem to support the claim.
Last week Madison police released additional information on the 28 who were arrested for more serious offenses and the 345 who were ticketed and released. Only 54 of those cited told police which school they currently attend, leaving police with a large number of law-breakers who could have been students, but did not tell police where they attend school.
Of the 54 cited, three said they attend the University of Minnesota and eight said they attend other schools in Minnesota, such as St. Mary’s University, University of St. Thomas and Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Fourteen of the 54 students who identified their school attend University of Wisconsin and 17 currently attend other Wisconsin colleges, including Marquette University, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point.
Students from other schools in the Midwest accounted for 10 tickets and two juveniles were ticketed for open intoxicants and underage drinking.
Most of the other citations issued to students who identified their school were for disorderly conduct, open intoxicants, underage drinking and possession of a fake ID.
Madison police spokesman Larry Kamholz said the number of tickets issued continues to rise past 345 because officers are still turning in tickets.
Madison Assistant Fire Chief Carl Saxe also released fire department data last Friday, indicating that the department responded to a total of 127 calls from Thursday to Sunday between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
“Alcohol played a major role in most of the downtown calls. We took half a dozen people out of the dorms alone (for detoxification),” Saxe said.
Saxe said most of the medical calls were either for detoxification or injuries from fights that were fueled by alcohol.
Fire fighters were not involved in managing the uprising crowd late Saturday night, Saxe said.
Saxe said the department also responded to 21 malicious false alarms and three dumpster fires.
The department’s primary strategies were to place its companies around the State Street area, Saxe said, in order to efficiently respond to calls and not respond without a police escort.
According to Saxe, fire fighters were attacked by revelers in last year’s riots and during the 1996 Mifflin Street Block Party riots. They were attacked with bricks, rocks and beer bottles, resulting in a number of injuries.
UW Police are also looking for information on criminal damage to the Southwest area of campus, mostly near the Engineering Campus and Camp Randall Stadium. Nine windows were smashed, causing an estimated $3,000 in damage.
Police also reported criminal damage to four different parking areas that cost $400 to repair.
Anyone who has information or was a witness to any of the crimes can call Campus Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.