Lincoln University

Students Injured, Pepper Spray Used as Fights Break Out at Lincoln University Party

“Things went left real quick," one student said.

Fifteen students were hospitalized and a campus police officer was injured when a Lincoln University dance party devolved into chaos and fighting Friday night.

Bedlam broke out around 10:50 p.m. as a large crowd of students waited in line to enter the party at the university’s Student Union building, said Johnny Whitehead, the university’s interim director of safety and security.

Some pushing and shoving quickly turned into full-blown fights, with one officer being assaulted in the melee, Whitehead said.

“Things went left real quick. The lines were real packed,” said Brashon McRae, who attended the “Sweats and Spandex” dance.

That’s when police decided to use pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

Fifteen students were hit by the spray, with 10 of them taken to Jennersville Hospital and five to Chester County Hospital. Some of them were treated and had already been released by Saturday morning, Whitehead said.

Whitehead said security was heightened for the dance, with the school using contracted security guards in addition to its campus police force in expectation of the more than 1,000 students in attendance.

Students themselves, however, say security was lax.

“A lot of people showed up this year and the school didn’t support enough security, so it got real wild,” McRae said.

Two students were arrested and will be charged with disorderly conduct. They will also face “judicial review” by campus deans, Whitehead said.

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