Police Respond to Campus Altercation
The night of Friday, May 2, saw a series of events unfold on Bethel College’s campus, leading to a police presence that night.
During the evening, students and others gathered near the creek area for what some described as a social event. As the gathering began to wind down, tensions flared up when police were seen running towards the creek. Officers were seen shining flashlights and shouting to individuals to stop running. Some students have said that a fight had broken out and the police had been called.
Around the same time of the event held at the creek, a separate altercation broke out in Warkentin Court involving a group of male students fighting. Video footage of the fight circulated amongst students the following day, though details of the fight remain unclear.
The incidents followed recent protests by some students who had raised concerns about increased police patrols on campus. These protests were part of a broader campus conversation about the role of law enforcement on campus that made students feel uncomfortable.
While the night’s events have left many students questioning the circumstances surrounding the altercations and police involvement, they also highlight ongoing conversations about safety, authority, and campus life at Bethel.