News in Brief: Felon on campus, MOB in Thanksgiving Day Parade, plus more
RUPD pursues felon on campus
Rice University police started their Thanksgiving break with a chase when they received a call that a wanted felon was on campus at Brown College the evening of Nov. 24. It was the same man RUPD apprehended with the help of the Houston Police Department's dogs and helicopter Sept 28, Police Captain Phillip Hassell said.
Rice University Police Department received a call the night before that the man, Drake Young had assaulted his girlfriend off-campus, striking her several times in the face, but he left before RUPD arrived. At 10:44 p.m. the following evening, Young returned. His now ex-girlfriend stayed with the Brown masters that evening because she was afraid to return to her room in the college.
RUPD spotted Young on the roof of Brown near the college commons. He then jumped off the roof, took off and ran towards Hermann Park along the light rail tracks. HPD joined the chase with a canine unit and a city helicopter unit. Although police were unable to apprehend Young, they did find and seize his car, Hassell said.
Young was first spotted on campus nearly two months ago on Sep. 28. RUPD stopped him for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. After finding that he had a felony warrant against him, RUPD brought him into the station, Hassell said. While they were taking Young out of the patrol car, he bolted and was eventually found under a porch by search dogs.
Young was described as white, 6' 1", around 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. While his hair was braided into cornrows when RUPD first apprehended him, they believe that his hair is now unbraided.
Young has been charged with assault and felony escape. He is still at large, but RUPD is working to apprehend him, Hassell said.
"We weren't able to catch him, but we have his car, and there's a warrant out to arrest him as soon as we can find him," Hassell said.
- Jocelyn Wright
MOB leads Thanksgiving Day parade
Rice's Marching Owl Band was selected to march in Houston's annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day parade. The MOB's portion of the parade was movie-themed and featured a saxaphone-playing Darth Vader, Marilyn Monroe, and dancing reels of movie film.
Though the MOB has marched in parades before, including Mardi Gras in Dallas and New Orleans, this was the band's first time to lead one, according to MOB director Chuck Throckmorton. He credited Public Affairs Director Greg Marshall for landing them the position.
Throckmorton said that he would like to see the MOB participate in another Thanksgiving parade, but that he wouldn't make it a regular MOB appearance.
"I don't like to take people away from their families every year," he said in an e-mail conversation.
- Thresher Staff
Foot fetishist harrasses student
A man with a foot fetish approached a female student while she was studying at the Brochstein Pavilion around 3 p.m. Friday, Police Captain Phillip Hassell said.
According to Hassell, the student described the man as a 5-foot 5-inch Asian male in his late 20s to early 30s with dark, short, spiked hair, yellow teeth, possibly a grille and bumpy skin from acne or acne scars. At first, the man grabbed the student's feet, which she pulled away.
Next, he picked up his cell phone and moved it around as though he were trying to take pictures of her feet. The student left about 30 minutes after the incident. She sent a text message to a friend so that she would have an excuse to leave after her friend texted her back, Hassell said.
This is not the first time a man with a foot fetish has been on campus. Hassell said the men tend to gravitate toward the library where they can observe people's feet while they study. Some will take their cell phones and try to photograph feet under the table.
Hassell advised students who noticed someone looking at or trying to take pictures of their feet to call RUPD immediately. He said it would have been better if the student had texted or called RUPD and asked somebody to come by instead of staying there for half an hour.
"I don't think there's any reason to sit there for 30 minutes when there's someone making you feel uncomfortable," Hassell said. "We would prefer people call 6000 immediately so we can get him before he does something like that again."
- Jocelyn Wright
Son of Libyan leader visits Rice
Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, a special envoy from Libya, visited Rice on his own accord last Wednesday in pursuit of stronger Libyan- American relations. Gaddafi is the chairman of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation. He is also the son of the current de facto leader of Libya, Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Gaddafi visited various sites throughout Houston and the United States in the past month.
"He's trying to foster relationships between Libya and the United States," said a member of his security detail who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of his job.
Gaddafi toured the Rice campus before meeting with President David Leebron. While his visit was unannounced, a member of his security detail said that Gaddafi was seeking increased study-abroad exchanges as well as new diplomatic relations.
"We keep it hush-hush," he said.
- Catherine Bratic
More from The Rice Thresher
Scott Abell named football head coach
Rice football has hired Scott Abell as the program’s 20th head coach, according to an announcement from director of athletics Tommy McClelland, who led a national search to fill the position.
Local Foods launches in newly renovated Brochstein space
Local Foods Market opened at Brochstein Pavilion Nov. 19, replacing comfort food concept Little Kitchen HTX. The opening, previously scheduled for the end of September, also features interior renovations to Brochstein. Local Foods is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Scan, swipe — sorry
Students may need to swipe their Rice IDs through scanners before entering future public parties, said dean of undergraduates Bridget Gorman. This possible policy change is not finalized, but in discussion among student activities and crisis management teams.
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