Web update: Police search for gunman after fight, arrest two in separate knife robbery

By Jeremy Herb

Police searched on and around campus for a man with a gun and arrested two teens on suspicion of attempted robbery with a knife during a three-hour period early Sunday morning, authorities said.

Approximately a dozen police cars swarmed the southern part of campus and the surrounding streets after a witness at a house party claimed he saw someone pull out a gun during a fight, said Lt. Matt Hogan, a Santa Clara police spokesman.

At 12:46 a.m., police arrived to a fight at a large party at Cal Phi, on the 500 block of Washington Street, where people were hostile toward the house residents, police said.

A witness who claimed he was a student said he saw a man pull out a gun at the party, Hogan said, but shortly after making that comment, the witness became uncooperative. No other witnesses said they saw a gun at the party.

Police searched the surrounding area - including on campus near Swig and Benson - for the man with a gun, but they did not locate him, Hogan said.

One arrest was made at the party on suspicion of battery and resisting arrest, police said.

About an hour later, a group of teenagers who were kicked out of the Cal Phi party started yelling at four students from the party as they walked toward Swig, said senior Kevin Stasun, a member of Cal Phi. Stasun said one of his friends was attacked by the other group, and when Stasun went to help, someone pulled out a five-inch knife and said, "Give me all your money."

A Campus Safety officer was nearby, and he ran over to assist the students. Stasun told the officer the teen had a knife, and the officer wrestled the knife away from him, Stasun said. As they held the teen down, another teen punched Stasun in the head and pushed the Campus Safety officer, Satsun said.

Police soon arrived, arresting the two teens, both 17, on suspicion of strong-arm robbery, Hogan said. The teen who pushed the Campus Safety officer was tasered before he was arrested and taken away in an ambulance, police said.

The names of the two teens arrested were not released because they are minors.

Senior Julius Duthoy, a Cal Phi member who was also involved in the fight, said that the group who attacked his friends was not the same group fighting at the party, but they were mad when they were kicked out of the party.

Another fight also occurred on Bellomy and Lafayette Streets, which ended with two victims with cuts on their faces and their assailants fleeing, police said.

Anyone with information on these incidents may call Santa Clara police at (408) 615-4700.

Contact Jeremy Herb at (408) 554-4546 or jmherb@scu.edu.