Volume CXXXI, Number 20 April 5, 2002 f

Bowdoin student assaulted
DANIEL JEFFERSON MILLER
ORIENT STAFF

A heated exchange of words turned to blows in the early hours of last Sunday. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on March 31, three Bowdoin students-two males and one female-ran into four college-aged male non-Bowdoin students. The four males expressed that they were from another college and a conversation ensued. One of the Bowdoin males apparently offended one of the four males, which caused one of the four to punch the Bowdoin student in the face.

Security Officer Michael Demers was on foot patrol in the nearby vicinity when he heard raised voices. He arrived at the scene to find that the four non-students had already run off. The Bowdoin students, however, were able to indicate the direction in which they had run, and Demers got on the radio to notify his fellow Security Officers and the Brunswick Police Department.

Three of the four non-students were apprehended, and were returned to the scene of the crime, where the assault victim was able to identify the assailant. The accused striker admitted his guilt to security and police personnel, and the victim was presented with this information. Thanks to the expedient work of Bowdoin Security, there was more than enough information to charge the assailant with assault.

The victim, however, indicated that he did not wish to press charges, and the detained threesome was released. The three non-students were issued criminal trespass warnings, which prohibit them from entering into the Bowdoin College campus. Of the three who were detained, two were from the Brunswick area.

This attack comes at a time of heightened awareness of trespassers upon the Bowdoin campus, given the March 3 stabbing death of Bates College senior Morgan McDuffee in Lewiston, Maine.

As a result of the Bates incident, Bowdoin Security Director Bruce Boucher indicated that Security has been more vigilant regarding questionable individuals on campus. Boucher said that most of the time, if someone is on campus who is not supposed to be there, they he or she usually genuinely lost. In the last few weeks, however, Bowdoin security has been keeping a more watchful eye on campus visitors.

In the case of an incident such as the aforementioned, Boucher encouraged all students to cooperate with Bowdoin Security and the Brunswick Police Department to maintain a steady flow of justice and safety. Violent crimes such as these present a great threat to the well-being of the Bowdoin community, and the best course of action is to effectively reprimand guilty parties.

Should you find yourself in a confrontation with any individuals-Bowdoin students or not-Boucher encouraged students to remove themselves from the situation to avoid any chance of conflict. Harbors of safety include the numerous blue light telephones that dot campus, or at least a well-lit area. Should students feel uncomfortable traversing campus at night, Boucher encouraged walking with friends.