Police: 19 Arrested, No Officers Injured After Gophers' Loss
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Gopher men's hockey team didn't take home the national championship but that didn't stop hockey fans from causing another rowdy night in Dinkytown.
Police arrested 19 people following the Gophers' 7-4 loss to Union College. Not everyone who was arrested was taken into custody, according to police. Some were given citations and released.
Four people were booked into Hennepin County Jail, including Eli Cohen, 20, Justin Pinkerton, 21, Jordan Mooney, 19, and Ardavan Khodaverdian, 19 (pictured from left to right, below).
Pinkerton spoke with WCCO Sunday and confirmed he was arrested Saturday night in Dinkytown. Pinkerton said he was in the area and stopped to take a photo when he was placed under arrest. Pinkerton was a student at the U but transferred to another school.
The other people arrested are both current and former students of the university.
Students and fans filled the streets in Dinkytown around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night. Roughly 300 police officers were ready and waiting to keep the peace.
The crowd started throwing bottles and even jumped on top of a car that was trying to go through an intersection. Police then ordered everyone to leave the area.
The crowd of hundreds ignored the warnings of possible arrests and stayed in the streets.
Police dressed in riot gear started using non-lethal methods to break up the crowd. Officers used pepper spray and fired a non-lethal gun launcher into the crowd.
The mounted patrol also came out to help keep the peace. Some fans taunted police and even laid down in the street.
University officials, including the vice president for university services, vice provost for affairs and the dean of students, released a statement Sunday, in regards to Saturday's incident.
"We would like to thank the City of Minneapolis and its police department, University of Minnesota Police and all of the other public safety agencies who kept the U of M safe and managed crowds in the neighborhoods surrounding campus after the Gopher men's hockey team national championship game.
It is important to remember that we have more than 50,000 students at the University's Twin Cities campus. Only a small percentage of those gathered in Dinkytown and an even smaller number engaged in unacceptable behavior.
The University, through the disciplinary process detailed in the Student Conduct Code, will hold any students involved in unacceptable behavior accountable. That process, detailed here, will begin immediately, move swiftly and may include a hearing before their peers. If a student is found responsible for violating the Conduct Code, sanctions range from a warning to suspension or expulsion. The outcome of each case is not public information under Family Educational Right and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Finally, we want to congratulate the Gopher men's hockey team on a successful season."
Many students said they just wanted to celebrate.
"I totally understand the need and why it's happening. I think it's over excessive because we're all trying to have fun tonight and we're not rioting. Nobody is rioting," said Kerri Haider, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota.
"There should be riots here. There should be people in the streets. We're not trying to flip cars, burn cars. Come on, let's be real. Obviously, we're going to be excited for everyone here," said Kyle Coyne, a junior.
There was some damage in the area, mainly broken car windows.
Police did report at least two fires.
Minneapolis Police also say no officers were injured.
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