Four University of Miami students were arrested in Key West this past weekend at the annual Fantasy Fest halloween festival.
Three of the four students were arrested by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Oct. 25. One of these students was charged with one felony count of fraud and two misdemeanors for obstructing a criminal investigation and resisting an officer.
Another was charged with a felony for possession of stolen property. According to the police report obtained by The Miami Hurricane, this student was involved in an altercation that led to the police looking at his identification, resulting in the charge.
The other party involved in the conflict had a laceration to her head and was sent to the hospital after the UM student appeared to defend himself. When police saw his wallet, they also identified two fake IDs.
The third student arrested on Saturday was charged with a misdemeanor for resisting an officer. According to the police report, the student drew attention because he was yelling at a group of officers, calling one a racist, and refused to step back and deescalate the situation.
The fourth student was arrested on Sunday, Oct. 26 and charged with a felony count of drug possession for 3.3 grams of white powder that field tested positive as cocaine. White powder under the student’s nose also tested positive.
These students have not been found guilty in a court of law. All four of their arraignment dates are scheduled for early Nov.
The arrests took place during a weekend excursion where UM students made the drive to Key West to get decked out in costumes to celebrate Halloween on Duval Street. Fantasy Fest draws in close to 75,000 adults, many of whom dress in risque costumes or simply body paint.
The Hurricane reached out to all four students who were arrested, but none of them wanted to participate in an interview.
A UM student who wished to remain unnamed said that Key West is planned well in advance as a weekend to party, drink and engage in risky behaviors that may cross the line.
“All year Key West is discussed, with everyone saying how they will ‘black out’ and make crazy decisions,” the student said. “Some people took their choices in Key West a bit far, such as getting arrested or going to the hospital.”
The unnamed student said that the student who went to the hospital is a fraternity member who experienced alcohol poisoning.
Another student who wished to remain unnamed emphasized that this is not the first time students have been arrested, and that this type of behavior is characteristic of the weekend.
According to the Key West Police Department, Fantasy Fest deployed hundreds of officers from multiple agencies, including some mounted on horseback, FBI officials and “spotters” positioned on roofs of buildings located on Duvall street.
Public Information Officer at KWPD Alyson Crean says that the goal of the heightened police presence was not to prosecute students, but ensure safety.
“It’s really about deescalating rather than resisting,” Crean said. “Nobody wants to ruin somebody’s life, but they also don’t want it to turn into a barroom brawl.”
Editor’s note: The Hurricane has decided not to name the four students who were arrested. The cases are ongoing and we did not want to cause further harm to our peers. The Hurricane prides itself on being a source of reliable, unbiased, student-centered news dedicated to reporting on and for the UM community.