Fight between football players and Pi Kappa Alpha members leaves three in hospital

A fight broke out Friday night between brothers of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and students… A fight broke out Friday night between brothers of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and students who identified themselves as football players, resulting in three students being treated at the hospital, according to witnesses and police.

“[Pi Kappa Alpha] denied access [to members of] the football team,” according to Pitt Police Chief Tim Delaney, causing a “physical altercation.”

Pi Kappa Alpha freshman Zack Schenkemeyer was working the door the night of the altercation, having been put in charge of security and risk management.

“There were three guys that said they were from the football team that wanted into the party,” Schenkemeyer said.

According to Schenkemeyer, the fraternity brothers then inquired if the players were on the guest list, and when the football players replied that they weren’t, the brothers did not allow them into the party. The football players persisted, he said, and the fraternity brothers “kept up with our ‘no.'”

“He said he was going to get the whole football team and come back,” Schenkemeyer said.

A little later, the three players allegedly returned to the Pi Kappa Alpha house. Schenkemeyer explained that the brothers had not taken the initial threat seriously; however, as the brothers recognized the players, they realized that they had come with “more and more large guys.”

According to Schenkemeyer, the student who had originally talked to the brothers came into the fraternity house and, when he was denied access to the party, flipped over the table that was used for the guest lists.

“As soon as he flipped the table, the rest of the football players from outside rushed in.” Schenkemeyer said.

Schenkemeyer said he then called for the assistance of several of the brothers. Eight Pi Kappa Alpha brothers, as well as 12 to 15 football players, were involved in the fight, according to Schenkemeyer.

“Fists flew on both sides,” Schenkemeyer said. “We were trying to defend ourselves.”

When the situation became out of hand, Schenkemeyer said, he told a brother to call the police.

When Pitt police arrived on the scene, the officers did not witness any of the assaults, and no arrests were made at that time. Three students were treated and released at the hospital, with the worst condition being a broken nose, according to Delaney. The identities of the students were not released. Delaney said that the incident is now under “thorough” investigation.

Delaney confirmed that more than 20 students were involved in the incident.

“This was a very excitable incident,” Delaney said. “On both sides.”

Delaney explained that the Pitt police were not called until the fighting had moved from the doorway of the fraternity house to the outside. Pittsburgh police also responded to a call from the cell phone of a partygoer inside the house, Delaney said.

Delaney said that those involved could face criminal charges, as well as judicial board punishment for breaking the Student Code of Conduct.

“Not everybody there was fighting; not everyone should be accused of fighting,” Delaney said.

Student Government Board member and Pi Kappa Alpha brother Matt Hutchinson explained that the incident stemmed from his fraternity’s unwillingness to break University policy.

“What’s important to note here is that the reason this all started was that we were following University policy [by having] a guest list,” Hutchinson said.

He said that the fraternity had not received any additional contact from the University, but hoped that Associate Dean of Student Affairs Birney Harrigan, who is currently assuming the duties of Greek adviser, would get involved.

“I certainly hope Birney Harrigan will help us out on this,” he said. “That’s her role.”

Harrigan did not return a call from The Pitt News yesterday.

Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations E. J. Borghetti said that the athletics department was aware of the incident involving football players, and that they were conducting their own internal investigation.

“We shouldn’t assume that there was an aggressive nature [on anyone’s part until investigations are complete],” Borghetti said.

He added that it wouldn’t be fair to speculate, at this point, on any possible sanctions if charges are filed.

Schenkemeyer said that the fraternity could not even think about breaking social policy to let the football players into the party because it was so crowded. However, he said he never thought that the players would return to the fraternity house.

“There’s still blood on the sidewalk outside the house,” Schenkemeyer said. “There’s a trail of blood up to the second floor bathroom, and blood all over the bathroom too.”

Delaney could not speculate how long the investigation would take because of its thorough nature.