Violence erupted at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house
Friday night, leaving 16 windows broken and at least one student
filing a civil suit against members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, another
campus fraternity whose members allegedly instigated the
fighting.
- Mira Levitan
- The windows of the Delta Kappa Epsilon house have been patched over after an altercation Friday night that resulted in at least 16 windows broken. (FOREST CASEY/Daily)
LSA sophomore Calvin Kattola said he is currently pursuing legal
action against SAE members who allegedly assaulted him and broke a
side mirror on his car.
Kattola, a member of Alpha Sigma Phi, said he was on his way to
visit friends at DKE when four to 10 members of SAE approached him
near the front door of DKE’s fraternity house.
“A bunch of guys just came up, apparently from SAE, and
they just started trying to kick the door down,” Kattola
said.
When Kattola and his friends tried to stop the vandals, he said
the SAE members physically assaulted him. The fighting stopped when
several DKE members came out of the house to confront the
attackers.
Before long, however, an estimated 25 to 50 SAE members arrived
and again attempted to forcibly enter the DKE house, breaking most
of the first floor windows in the process, Kattola said.
He added that he later learned the name of the student who
attacked him, and confirmed that the student in question was a
member of SAE.
SAE president Dustin Nelson declined to comment on the incident,
only saying the parties involved are currently discussing a
resolution. Members of DKE and the Office of Greek Life also
refused to comment.
Ann Arbor Police Department records indicate that three
incidents of fighting were reported at the DKE house Friday
night.
Officers responding to the first two calls reported that any
students engaged in fighting had dispersed upon their arrival.
Officers approached the house after the third call, when they
observed the broken windows.
Students at the scene told the officers that members of SAE were
responsible for the violence and damage.
Kattola said the AAPD officers who responded to the incident
showed no interest in pursuing the alleged vandalism and assaults,
instead issuing citations for minor in possession of alcohol and
possession of false identification.
AAPD Sgt. Tom Seyfried did not deny the claims made by Kattola.
He said the AAPD does not believe the incident warrants further
investigation. He added that the police officers distributed MIP
citations because those were the crimes they saw on arrival.
“These are kids fighting between fraternities. It’s
childish nonsense, and we have more important crimes to
pursue,” Seyfried said. “It would be a tremendous
expenditure of resources that we don’t have.”