Police officers arrested three Syracuse University students for an incident with four Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity brothers at about 12 a.m. Thursday morning on the 700 block of Ostrom Avenue.

The three students were placed into a police van outside of Shaw Hall while some residents blared the song “Bad Boys” by Inner Circle.

The incident began when a group of males driving a Toyota Land Cruiser with Connecticut license plates followed four Sammy brothers into their driveway at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at 737 Comstock Avenue, according to a Syracuse Police Department report.

The driver of the Land Cruiser, Jae Ahn, approached the brothers, accusing them of throwing something at his car, the report stated.

Ahn, a junior information studies major, began calling the brothers “crackers,” grabbed one of them by his neck and said, “I will fuck you up,” the report added.

He then grabbed another brother by the neck and said, “I will kick your ass, faggot,” the report added.

Several Sammy members came running from their residence at which point Ahn left and said, “I’m gonna be back and I’m gonna fuck up your vehicles,” the report stated.

The brothers notified the police and provided them with a description of both the car and the individual who had harassed them, the report added. Officers told the brothers to call them back if they saw the individual or the car again, the report stated.

At about 12 a.m. the brothers dialed 911 and told police the suspect from earlier had returned and was damaging a car in the parking lot, the report added.

After being seen by some fraternity brothers, Ahn began running through backyards toward Ostrom Avenue and was chased by one of the brothers who could not catch up to Ahn, the report stated.

The white Land Cruiser was also spotted soon after, near the intersection of Ostrom and Euclid Avenues, the report stated.

Officers approached the vehicle and detected a strong scent of alcohol on the driver’s breath, the report added.

The driver, Darin Suh, a junior in the School of Management, was charged with driving while intoxicated after being unable to stand, refusing field tests, and testing positive for the presence of alcohol after taking an Alco Sensor test, but officers determined he was not involved in the harassment, according to the report .

Suh told officers he didn’t drink anything but cough syrup, the report stated.

While Suh was being questioned, another male, SU student Seung Lee approached officers and became belligerent, asking why Suh was being questioned, the report stated.

At this time the fraternity brother who chased Ahn approached officers and told them he had passed a “lookout” in the bushes when chasing Ahn and identified that person as Lee, the report stated.

Officers charged Lee with one count of third degree criminal mischief, according to the report.

Jessica Welch, a freshman undecided major in The College of Arts and Sciences, witnessed the arrests and said Lee’s cell phone was confiscated by police during the arrest and at one point rang and was answered by officers.

Lt. Joe Cecile, spokesman for the Syracuse Police Department, said this is a common practice to ensure the safety of the officers and ensure the integrity of an investigation. If it was a lawyer on the phone for the person in custody the officers would turn the phone back over to the suspect, he added.

“It’s more of a safety measure,” Cecile said. “Sometimes it is family or friends on the phone and before you know it you have 20 people there screaming as you are trying to do your job.”

After Lee was placed into custody, Ahn approached officers, said he was the owner of the vehicle and asked why his friends were being arrested, the report stated.

Ahn was sweating, out of breath, and refused to speak with the officers but explained he was sweating and out of breath because he had been out jogging, the report added.

The brother identified Ahn as the man who had harassed him and his friends earlier, and Ahn was charged with third degree criminal mischief and two counts of second degree harassment, the report stated.

Syracuse Police made the arrests but SU Public Safety responded to the call as well to observe the arrest, said William D. Ferguson, deputy director of Public Safety. All three students who were arrested were referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs for violations of the code of student conduct, he added. The students were charged under Section 14 of the code, a violation of state or local law that has a negative impact on the university, Ferguson said.

Published on November 21, 2002 at 12:00 pm