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God Bless Our Troops!!!
Ark. police hurt trying to break up Obama party
Nov 5 04:16 PM US/Eastern
By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press Writer
23 Comments
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Police arrested seven people after a melee at an impromptu Barack Obama victory celebration near the campus of Arkansas State University. Three police officers suffered minor injuries.
A female officer's nose was broken when a man jumped on top of her and punched her without provocation, Jonesboro police Capt. Lynn Waterworth said. Waterworth declined to name those arrested until after a court hearing Wednesday afternoon.
About 200 people gathered at an apartment complex about a block away from campus in northeast Arkansas after Obama was declared the winner of the presidential election Tuesday night, Waterworth said. An off-duty officer moonlighting as a security guard for the apartment complex asked those who had gathered to go home, then called for help, she said.
Two on-duty officers arrived at the apartment complex, with the female officer calling to the crowd over her cruiser's public-address system, Waterworth said. The crowd responded by throwing rocks and beer bottles at police, with one man attacking the female officer, Waterworth said.
A distress call summoned more than 40 police officers from surrounding departments and the Arkansas State Police, Waterworth said. One officer suffered a cut to the forehead and another fell to the ground during the scuffle, she said.
"What should have been a happy, celebratory time turned into a bad experience for a lot of folks out there at the hands of a few," Waterworth said.
Julian Smith, 17, a freshman majoring in computer science, said the fight started as officers attempted to break up the celebration, which was already winding down.
Nov 5 04:16 PM US/Eastern
By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press Writer
23 Comments
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Police arrested seven people after a melee at an impromptu Barack Obama victory celebration near the campus of Arkansas State University. Three police officers suffered minor injuries.
A female officer's nose was broken when a man jumped on top of her and punched her without provocation, Jonesboro police Capt. Lynn Waterworth said. Waterworth declined to name those arrested until after a court hearing Wednesday afternoon.
About 200 people gathered at an apartment complex about a block away from campus in northeast Arkansas after Obama was declared the winner of the presidential election Tuesday night, Waterworth said. An off-duty officer moonlighting as a security guard for the apartment complex asked those who had gathered to go home, then called for help, she said.
Two on-duty officers arrived at the apartment complex, with the female officer calling to the crowd over her cruiser's public-address system, Waterworth said. The crowd responded by throwing rocks and beer bottles at police, with one man attacking the female officer, Waterworth said.
A distress call summoned more than 40 police officers from surrounding departments and the Arkansas State Police, Waterworth said. One officer suffered a cut to the forehead and another fell to the ground during the scuffle, she said.
"What should have been a happy, celebratory time turned into a bad experience for a lot of folks out there at the hands of a few," Waterworth said.
Julian Smith, 17, a freshman majoring in computer science, said the fight started as officers attempted to break up the celebration, which was already winding down.