CAMPUS BRIEFS: Tuesday, October 27, 1998

Two Temple students arrested for shooting No one was seriously injured in the incident, which occurred at 3720 Chestnut Street early the morning of October 11. The two students, Kenneth Obukwelu and Ojufeyi Ofanyinlufi, both 19, were arrested by Philadelphia Police officers on Thursday. They were charged on Saturday with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, firearms violations and conspiracy, according to Penn Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush. The incident was reported to University Police by five female Temple students who said that as they tried to leave the party, a group of men jumped on their car and fired two gunshots, one of which hit the car's fender and flattened a tire. Penn, Temple and Philadelphia police jointly investigated the incident. Police believe others were involved in the incident, but according to University Detective Jane Curry, even if it was someone else who fired the two shots, the suspects would still be implicated for being involved in the incident. Ofanyinlufi was released on $20,000 bail yesterday, while Obukwelu remained in Philadelphia Police custody as of yesterday afternoon. -- Ben Geldon Conway addresses new UPPD recruits The Undergraduate Assembly gave 11 newly inducted Penn Police officers an inside look at student relations with University Police last week. Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush asked UA Chairperson Bill Conway to address the recruits and offer a student perspective of police interaction with the student body. It was the first time the University Police Department had invited a student leader to speak before a group of recruits, Conway and Rush said. Conway focused on student safety concerns, the importance of good relations between the police and students and students' perceptions of protection in West Philadelphia. "Students have a fairly positive view of the police who protect them, considering the police are often most visible when they break up a party," said Conway, a Wharton junior. Conway also touched on the issue of alcohol awareness. He asked the police to "do the best they can to make adversarial situations as easy and painless as possible and be gentle to students, as they often consider themselves invincible." Last year the UA, the student-run town watch group Penn Watch and the University Police gave out three awards to officers for outstanding student relations. "Conway's speech was another great step toward interactive communication between students and police," Rush said. "It also provided the recruits with a better picture of student life at Penn." -- Erin Johnson Police arrest two for alcohol possession Philadelphia Police last Friday arrested two University students -- the only two undergraduate members of the Groove Phi Groove social fellowship -- citing them for liquor-law violations after the officers broke up their party. The party was held at a house at 4103 Baltimore Avenue owned by Groove Phi Groove, a group based on African principles that has been on campus since 1972 and has alumni members all over the city. It is not affiliated with the University's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. The students were charged with possession of three kegs and underage drinking, Philadelphia Police Cpl. Jim Pauley said. Neither police nor Groove officials would release the students' names. Shawn Pleasant, a Groove member who graduated from Penn in 1997, said the event "wasn't a Groove-sponsored party," even though it was held at their house. Pleasant did not attend the event, but he said other partygoers told him that the police were very aggressive. One guest said that in addition to underage drinking, door fees were charged at the party. Under Pennsylvania law, a party that serves alcohol cannot charge unless the house has a liquor license. -- Catherine Lucey