(123rf)
미국 남부 캘리포니아의 한 해안가에서 5일(현지시간) 밤 대학생들의 파티가 대형 폭력사태로 번지며 최소 44명이 다치고 100명 이상이 체포됐다.
캘리포니아 샌타바버라 경찰에 따르면 이날 사건은 캘리포니아주 이슬라비스타의 해변에서 매년 대학생들의 봄방학 기간에 맞춰 열리는 '델토피아'라는 파티 도중 일어났다.
애초 학생 간 싸움으로 시작됐으나 현장에 도착한 경찰관이 술병으로 가득 채워 진 가방으로 얼굴을 맞으면서 충돌은 격해지기 시작했다.
파티에 참가한 1만5천명 중 일부가 서로 돌과 벽돌, 술병 등을 던졌고, 인근에 불을 지르고 경찰차를 훼손하기도 했다.
칼 등을 소지한 사람이 다른 이를 찌르기도 하는 등 말 그대로 아수라장이 연출됐다.
사태 진압을 위해 출동한 경찰도 5명 이상이 다쳤다. 이 중 2명은 얼굴에 벽돌을 맞았고 다른 2명은 술병에 손을 다쳤다.
경찰은 인근 벤추라 카운티 등에서 지원 인력을 받고 최루탄과 최루액, 고무탄 등을 사용해 다음날 아침에서야 이들을 해산시킬 수 있었다.
샌타바버라 보안관실 켈리 후버 대변인은 "과거에도 이 지역에 소요사태가 있었지만, 이런 (대형) 사건은 정말 오랜만에 발생했다"고 말했다.
이 지역은 '미국 최고의 파티 스쿨'로 알려진 샌타바버라 캘리포니아 주립대(UC 샌타바버라)와 인접해 있다. 2만3천명의 거주민 중 60%가 학생이다.
<관련 영문 기사>
About 100 arrested in Southern California brawl
About 100 people were arrested and at least 44 people were taken to the hospital during a weekend college party in Southern California that devolved into a rock- and botthle-throwing melee, authorities said.
The violence broke out in the densely populated beachside community of Isla Vista around 9:30 p.m. Saturday during the annual spring break party known as Deltopia, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said things escalated after a University of California, Santa Barbara police officer was hit in the face with a backpack filled with large bottles of alcohol.
Authorities said some members of the crowd of 15,000 then began throwing rocks, bricks and bottles at officers, lighting fires and damaging law enforcement vehicles.
“It was an emergency situation where we had to call in mutual aid,” Hoover said. “They have had civil disturbances before in Isla Vista, but it has been many years since something like this.”
Authorities reported using tear gas, pepper spray and foam projectiles to disperse the surging crowd.
At least five more officers were injured in the melee, including one officer who was hit in the face with a brick and two others who were both hit in the hand with bottles, sheriff's deputies said. will require surgery for his hand, Hoover said.
It was not immediately known Sunday how many people remain in custody or were still being treated at the hospital.
Earlier Saturday, authorities also responded to reports of a stabbing and found several individuals carrying weapons, she said. Aside from those who were treated after the brawl broke out, nearly every person who was hospitalized on Saturday had consumed excess alcohol, Hoover added.
“It really was ridiculous,” Hoover said. “Deltopia attracts out-of-towners who come in and are not invested in our community and there are some who come to cause trouble.”
The situation had stabilized by Sunday morning after sheriffs received backup support from multiple agencies in neighboring Ventura County.
Isla Vista borders the university and is known for partying. The half-mile area has roughly 23,000 residents, of which 60 percent are students. (AP)
