Repeating a scene from 13 years
ago, several hundred Arizona fans and Tucson police clashed in the streets late
Saturday following the University of Arizona basketball team’s loss to
Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament. But unlike 13 years ago, much of the scene
was caught by smartphones, which included the startling image of what appears
to be a police officer tackling a woman without much provocation.
While the above video does not
provide much context, the woman who shot the video, said the officer struck
with no reason.
“These girls had been trying to
get to their car. The girl is on her phone not paying attention and this cop
came out of nowhere and just leveled her,” Phoebe Landolt told the Arizona
Daily Star. “After that everyone just started yelling and she started crying.”
Police say they are aware of
the video and it is being reviewed.
Authorities said 15 people were
arrested after fans hurled beer bottles and firecrackers at officers, who then
used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. No officers were hurt, but three
people who were arrested had minor injuries in the unrest that lasted more than
an hour, police said. Meanwhile, officials at the University of Arizona vowed
to punish any students who participated in the fracas.
The clash began after crowds
leaving bars and restaurants near campus filled University Boulevard after the
game, Tucson police Sgt. Pete Dugan said. He said officers fired pepper spray,
pepper canisters and pepper balls to try to get people to leave the
business-lined thoroughfare. Earlier Saturday, Arizona lost 64-63 to Wisconsin
in the West Region final in Anaheim, Calif.
“We’ve been training for this
event for several months now,” Dugan said. “It got a little rowdy and it got a
little violent, but no businesses suffered any damage.”
The melee resembled what
happened in 2001, when police arrested 17 people after Arizona lost to Duke in
the championship game. But in that clash, a student lost an eye after he was
struck by a beanbag filled with lead birdshot fired by Tucson police and around
22 businesses suffered some damage.
In a statement, Dean of
Students Kendal Washington White called Saturday’s disturbance “disappointing”
and said it was not reflective of the culture of the University of Arizona or
Tucson.
“Our basketball team had a
great season, and they exhibited exceptional class at every turn,” White said.
“They do not deserve the bad actions of these others.”
White said all students who are
found to have violated the school’s code of conduct “will be held accountable.”
Police brought in cruisers and
a unit of officers with batons, helmets and face masks to block the street when
people started tossing beer bottles, cans and firecrackers, hitting police
vehicles and endangering officers.
Most of those arrested were
cited and released, and one person was booked into jail, Dugan said.
A witness, David Kitaeff, told
The Associated Press that the incident started innocently with people taking
photos, but then “people got in cops’ faces.” He said fans were throwing drink
cans at officers, whom he saw marching down University Boulevard