Officers respond to suspicious person in IMU

Officers responded to a report of a suspicious person in the Indiana Memorial Union, Saturday at 9:39 p.m. The man was later identified as Rick Crowder, a homeless man with no connection to IU.

He was reported to be following IMU patrons around, and rumors that he had a gun were proved false, IUPD Chief Keith Cash said. Officer Steffan Short found Crowder in a lounge, and upon being approached, Crowder became combative. Crowder placed his hands in his jacket and when he refused to remove them, Short took Crowder to the floor, where he kicked Short in the face area. Other officers arrived on the scene and escorted Crowder out of the IMU.

During his exit, Crowder screamed profanities and yelled he was injured, which attracted attention from onlookers, Cash said. Crowder was taken to the hospital where he was cleared for release, and from there he was taken to jail. He was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication, battery on a law enforcement officer and trespass. No officers were injured. There was no lockdown at the IMU during the incident, Cash said.

— Hannah Smith