Misconduct

After the Hoosiers' loss to the Maryland Terrapins, crowds on Kirkwood Avenue set T-shirts and trees on fire and tore down street lights, street signs and trees. Police dispersed the unruly crowd with the release of tear gas, sending students running through campus. \nStudents dashed through Dunn Meadow with their hands to their faces, covering their eyes at about 1:25 a.m. \nTwo state troopers were hit with bottles, one with such force it cracked his gas mask. Another trooper, Matt Dillon, was hit with a bottle on his left leg after the tear gas was dispersed; the Bloomington Fire Department wrapped the wound, which was bleeding considerably.\n"The idea was to let kids to come out and have a good time, but unfortunately a few individuals decided to throw beer bottles at police," said Lt. Ed Reuter. "At one point we were bombarded with 40 to 50 beer bottles."\nBecky Carnegy, an alumnus, said she was hit with tear gas. She said she had been notifying the police of damage to a window, when without warning she felt her eyes tear up and her throat get scratchy. \n"I don't know why the police did that," she said. "But what would you do if you were in charge of that? College kids shouldn't be throwing stuff at police, but honestly, what are they supposed to do?"\nAt 1:45 a.m., police scanner traffic indicated a second round of tear gas to the crowd. The scanner also said the city had run out of ambulances and fire trucks to respond to other calls.\nPolice arrested a remaining few on Kirkwood. \nEarlier, the crowd began lighting torches in the intersection of Kirkwood and Dunn, despite repeated attempts by the police to halt the fires, students continued to burn torches.\nFires were set along Kirkwood and a large explosion occurred in the middle of Dunn and Kirkwood.\n"There was a fire in the middle of the street, but the cops came in and busted it up. They maced this guy in the face," freshman Semyon Shtulberg said. "It was crazy, but it would have been better if we had won."\nSeveral transports were made by ambulance from Kirkwood, with at least two head injuries. David Degroote, an EMT for the Bloomington Hospital Ambulance Service, said there were people transferred to the hospital for injuries caused by falling out of balconies, fighting and being too drunk to walk.\nSpreading the violence beyond Kirkwood Avenue, an employee of the Indiana Memorial Union said students began attacking the Union itself. He said some windows were broken, but there was no major damage incurred on the structure. He also said several cars had their windows broken out.\nSeveral fires were reported at the Varsity Villas. Dick Garvin, Bloomington fire department, said they were hoping nobody got hurt, but the violence was anticipated and expected.\nSenior Jeremy Lande said earlier in the night he was disappointed with how tame the crowd was.\n "This is the worst riot ever," he said. "IU enjoyed its 13 seconds of glory while it lasted, and now it's just sad."\nWhen the crowd gathered around the corner of Kirkwood and Dunn immediately after the game, Bloomington was ready. Police in riot gear formed a perimeter around students who were lamenting the Hoosier's first loss in a championship game. Bloomington businesses were also prepared, with windows boarded up incase the gathering grew ugly.\nSullen fans still chanted "IU," but this time the helicopters could be heard over the crowd. Doris Mason, a Bloomington resident, said she was sad to see the Hoosiers lose.\n"I watched the game at the Indiana Theater and it was so great until the loss," she said. "The team worked so hard to get so far and when they lost it was the saddest moment."\nCathy Croxton, Bloomington resident and IU employee, said she was pleased with how the game was played while observing the gathering students.\n"It is a great team, great coach and great effort," she said. "I'll be happy to take second"