Lawrence police cited a 20-year-old Shawnee man for battery after he was accused of spitting in a woman’s face and punching her and her friend early Thursday morning.
Sgt. Trent McKinley, a police spokesman, said the incident led to a large fight involving more than a dozen people about 1:40 a.m. in the 1300 block of Ohio Street.
McKinley said the two victims, both 19-year-old KU students, told officers they had been standing outside The Hawk, 1340 Ohio, when a man touched one of the women inappropriately from behind. The woman said she did not know the man.
“She stated she turned around and told him not to do that,” McKinley said. “The suspect then spit in her face, pushed her and punched her in the eye.”
When the woman’s friend confronted the man, the suspect punched her in the forehead and injured her. That led to the larger fight, and McKinley said when officers arrived they located the male suspect and ticketed him. Other people involved did run from the area, he said.
Comments
KU_Dude 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Welcome back students.
LarryNative 9 months, 2 weeks ago
The students are not back yet. Dorms and Greeks are still closed.
tao7 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Just a ticket? Why didn't he go to jail for battery?! And surely he was drunk...and probably underage...it is the Hawk after all.
Hooligan_016 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Agreed, surprising he wasn't arrested.
parrothead8 9 months, 2 weeks ago
The fifth word of the article proves that your suspicion about him being underage is correct.
beatnik 9 months, 2 weeks ago
did the police not chase the people who ran or did they chase them and not catch them
always_correct 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Sounds like he should have been arrested. Great use of officer discretion, LPD (sarcasm). LJWorld - did you not release his name because he wasn't arrested? The jerk seems like he's worthy of public shaming.
DoubtingThomas 9 months, 2 weeks ago
That sure fit the definition of an assault. The young lady also might want to get screened for Hepatitis and or HIV especially if his saliva made contact with any mucous membranes( Eyes, Mouth, Nasal passage etc.) They throw you in jail for spitting on an officer. They call it an assault. They do send the assaulted officer in for screening for said diseases.
cheeseburger 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Brought to you by society's worship of alcohol.
And why wasn't the POS arrested on one count of assault, two counts of battery, disorderly conduct, and likely public intoxication?
LarryNative 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Why not charge him with murder too? Any other laws he did not break you want to charge him with?
Topple 9 months, 2 weeks ago
He did break all of those laws short of public intoxication.
Sexual Battery for grabbing her butt. Assault for spitting on the girl. Two counts of Battery for punching both girls. Disorderly Conduct for causing the fight.
Bladerunner 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Misdemeanor crime that didn't occur in the Officer's presence gets a ticket instead of jail time.
cheeseburger 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Really? Then why do so many people go to jail on domestic disturbance calls that are unwitnessed by officers? If the female says the male struck her, pulled her hair, threw something at her, or scratched her, he gets the ride. Why is this different? Or why should it be different?
Jayhawk_4_Life 9 months, 2 weeks ago
a ticket for punching two girls in the face? is that a joke?
snap_pop_no_crackle 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Dude got all inflamed.
oneeye_wilbur 9 months, 2 weeks ago
A ticket is really questionable unless he has to make an appearance in court. Now then, can the person just pay a fine for the ticket and not go to court? Where is rest of this story Mr. Diepenrock? Instead of the he said and she said, let's get to the specifics of what is supposed to be done when there is battery? If a spouse punches someone and the police arrive it is not common for an arrest?
Spousal abuse does not occur in the officer's presence?
I reallly like the part about "other people involved did run" what some more people were involved and the police only got one?
I will say this and Chief Khatib needs to be taken to task about this issue. Lawrence police should not be at the closings of bars unless there is a disturbance. Too much money is being spent on the officers monitoring the closing of bars. Let the bar owners HIRE off duty police to do the monitoring. The general public should not pay for police at all of the bars around town.
Why are some bars getting preferential treatment? Is this why more police need to be hired?
somebodynew 9 months, 2 weeks ago
oneeye - - spousal abuse is a different set of laws than battery that occurs between people who don't have a relationship. Like comparing apples to oranges.
Second point - it is (was anyhow) for the LPD to work off-duty at a place that serves alcohol, therefore the bars cannot hire off-duty officers. They can hire regular security people, but sometimes that causes more problems, depending on who they get.
oneeye_wilbur 9 months, 2 weeks ago
So how much money should the City foot for police to monitor various closings of bars at nite? Really?
srj 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Look at it this way...the only guy who did not run and get caught when the police showed up was the suspect. He could not run probably because he took a beat down. You hit a women in front of a bar, you have to expect to get beat up.
consumer1 9 months, 2 weeks ago
I have never hit a woman in my life, but, I am sixety years old and that social construct was believed to be valid back before women became equal to men in all respects. However, with all things being equal, if a woman hits a man, it is self defense for him to protect himself. This is Lawrence, where everyone is equal remember... I still subsribe to a man not hitting a woman but that is based upon a stereo type that women are weaker than men and should be placed upon a pedistal. Try selling that idea in this town.
consumer1 9 months, 2 weeks ago
There shouldn't be a single liberal disagree with the above comment. I would expect more conservative people who believe in chivalry to ojbect. But, Keep in mind I am not promoting or suggesting that anyone hit anyone. Merely pointing out that in the modern community of intellects, we have one set of rules not two. If you hit someone, it shouldn't make any differences what gender they are. The only time i support anyone hitting anyone is when self defense it is neccessary.
The_Big_B 9 months, 2 weeks ago
It still matters.
consumer1 9 months, 2 weeks ago
It does to me too.
consumer1 9 months, 2 weeks ago
let the name calling and threats begin.
somedude20 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Seems like you are fishing for attention #1..I'll bite Bill, John, Ted, Mark, Peter, Brian, Angus, Gordon, Thom, Jim, Rob. Is that enough calling of names? Al Qaeda, shark attacks, snakes, Republicans, Justin Bieber...and here are your threats!
by somedude20
consumer1 9 months, 2 weeks ago
NOt really, just expecting the usual. I did enjoy your take on this. Very good. thanks
thebigspoon 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Probably related to Ike Turner or Chris Brown...
JackMcKee 9 months, 2 weeks ago
The students are already back. It seems like they just left.
DoubtingThomas 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Why are 19 and 20 year olds standing"Outside" the Hawk unless they expected to be able to get in?This place has a long,long history of citations for serving minors. LPD, you know what to do.
Topple 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Better to keep all the underage drinking in one place than scatter across town in residential houses where police can't monitor anything.
mikekt 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Why aren't Lawrence Bars forced by law to provide out side heat activated camera surveillance systems, so that the cops know who does what, when they arrive, so that police charges can be better made, independent of the drunken states of the involved participants or witnesses ?
These bars are more than willing to put their "trashed out patrons" on the streets of Lawrence at closing time, so why shouldn't they be obligated to help patrol the whole mess with surveillance cameras ?
You could even stream it on line, on a closed system, so the PD could watch a number doors at once, remotely !
Oh No ! That might solve a problems that the bar owners create, selling alcoholism to idiots !
PhilChiles 9 months, 2 weeks ago
I don't know if they sell alcoholism to kids. I mean, most bars don't even advertise. People just... show up. It's weird. Heat activated cameras are a cool idea though. They would go off every second of the day, that's the only problem.
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