The incident at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity early last Sunday morning, involving an attack by 15 to 20 currently unidentified individuals, was allegedly random and unprovoked and will spark greater vigilance on the part of Inter-Fraternal Council members, IFC President Ross Kimbel said.
Among measures IFC members are considering in response to the incident is posting uniformed police officers at entrances, Kimbel said.
According to Charlottesville Police Sgt. Phillip Brown, no report was filed by any of the Charlottesville police officers who responded to the 911 call made by Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chapter President Robert Bailey.
The lack of a police report indicates that no arrests were made in connection with the incident. According to Brown, all that police may have been able to do was to restore order.
The attackers fled when the police cruisers approached and neither the brothers nor the remaining guests knew or could identify the attackers, so they were not able to file any charges with the police when they arrived, Bailey said.
"The officers did the best they could, but I had no way of identifying who the [individuals] were," Bailey said.
According to Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, the attackers, though unidentified, were not students.
"It seems clear to me that these were not University students," Laushway said.
Bailey met with Laushway yesterday and said he would report to Laushway the physical violence that occurred during the incident.
According to Bailey, Laushway was initially unaware of any allegations of violence during the incident as "the result of miscommunication between our house" and Laushway, Bailey said.
"There was definitely physical violence," Bailey said.
The attack occurred between 2:15 and 2:30 a.m. Sunday, after the 2 a.m. deadline at which fraternity houses are required by IFC regulation to shut down parties. Therefore, there were only a few Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers and lingering guests at the house when the attack occurred, Kimbel said.
The fraternity took all possible safety precautions before and during the attack, including blocking off the front entrance after the party ended, and calling the police as soon as the incident occurred, according to Kimbel.
The attackers rushed the side entrance of SAE under the porch, crossing the "distinguished boundary" between the sidewalk and the house, Kimbel said. "These men were unprovoked, and this seems like a totally random attack."
According to Kimbel, other IFC chapter presidents are discussing the prospect of placing uniformed police officers outside of their parties to help control the crowds and protect against the possibility of future incidents. Police presence, however, will not be required of all IFC chapters.
"The decision to staff each party with an officer is the choice of each individual frat," Kimble said.
After becoming aware of the incident, local alumni of Sigma Alpha Epsilon contacted Bailey and offered to pay for security for future parties at the SAE house, Bailey said.
Laushway said he will continue to discuss safety measures with fraternities.
"I will continue to meet with IFC frats to discuss the measures by which they insure the safety of their brothers and guests," Laushway said.
There is a greater sense of vigilance within the IFC as a result of the incident, but students should be careful in the less-protected areas around 15th Street, 17th Street, Gordon Street and Grady Street, Kimbel said.
"Across the board, this greater sense of awareness must occur in our University community," Kimel said.
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