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Dance Fight Prompts Event Cancellation

By Marshall A. Latimore
Black College Wire

A scuffle followed by a larger altercation at a "Back to School" party and Greek Step-Off at Tennesee State University prompted cancellation of a second party scheduled the following week.

Yo Gotti's music played during the scuffle.

Just after 11 p.m. on Aug. 26, a small scuffle broke out to the left of the stage in the Gentry Center, where a group of partygoers were "bucking," an aggressive form of dancing in which participants jump and bump into each other.

The fight broke out during Memphis rapper Yo Gotti's song "Yeah, Yeah."

The minor scuffle was followed by a larger altercation involving as many as 15 men, the majority wearing white T-shirts. One person was mauled and stomped by two others. It was unclear whether the person was a student.

He left the building with the rest of the crowd. Campus police have announced no arrests.

"The fighting created an unsettling atmosphere," said Student Activities Director Ronald Myles. "We just can't condone this type of behavior. We were really disappointed, but we had to send a message."

Myles and the Student Union Board of Governors immediately ended the party. Myles said more adequate security could have prevented the brawl, as there were not enough officers to contain the perpetrators.

Two campus officers were stationed on the stage at the center of the Gentry Center dance floor but were unable to defuse the fight, which quickly grew as dozens of onlookers ran toward the action. After nearly five minutes of chaos, the parties hastily exited the Gentry. Hundreds of students trailed the altercation outside.

"At the event there were only about five officers, which was probably a mistake on our part," Myles said. "We probably needed as many as 20 officers for such a large facility and the number of people who came." Myles put that number at 3,000.

Because of the hefty expense of hiring more officers to work the Aug. 31 event, which was to be open to the public, Conyers and Williams decided to cancel it.

Michael A. Freeman: "Our university is not a street corner."

In a letter to students, Freeman added:

"It was a shame that a few people ruined what should have been a homecoming for our fellow Tigers, both old and new.

"Our family has never and will not begin to tolerate juvenile behavior; our university is not a street corner. TSU is a family, a community, and we know better ways to solve problems than what occurred Saturday night," Freeman said.

Marshall A. Latimore, a student at Tennessee State University, is copy editor and opinions editor of the Meter.

Posted Sept. 5, 2006