Man arrested for trespassing, stalking
March 7, 2008
(Click graphic to enlarge)
From their rooms Tuesday night, some Mark Twain Hall residents could watch a man get arrested for trespassing and stalking in the southwest parking lot, an hour after that same man was asked to leave the premises.
MU Police Department arrested Shen Wang, 23, of Lafayette, Ind., on suspicion of trespassing, at 10:20 p.m. on the corner of South Fourth Street and Conley Avenue. Upon further investigation by MUPD officers, Wang was later charged with stalking, said MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer.
Weimer did not release the identity of the person whom Wang was stalking. Residential Life Director Frankie Minor said the situation had no connection to Mark Twain Hall residents.
“What I’m aware of is an incident that students from Mark Twain witnessed occurring outside, and they could see from Mark Twain but didn’t involve Mark Twain residents,” Minor said.
Minor said neither person involved entered the residence hall, as far as he knew, and that the event took place in the vicinity of the building.
An hour earlier in the evening, MUPD had been dispatched to the Mark Twain’s southwest parking lot, located adjacent to the previous area, and issued Wang a trespassing warning at 9:11.
Mark Twain Hall Council President Brittany Smotherson said she had seen part but not all of the incident and had heard comments from other hall residents. She said they discussed Mark Twain safety at a Hall Council meeting Wednesday.
“Because we are so close to downtown, we are more likely to have random visitors,” Smotherson said.
One idea proposed included a 24-hour lock-down, but no decisions had been made.
Despite Tuesday’s incident, Smotherson said Mark Twain has some safety features and that unwanted guests are closely monitored.
Minor said the residence hall staff has a protocol to follow if trespassers enter the building.
“There are situations where either students who don’t live in the facility or nonstudents will become engaged in conduct that is contrary to university policy or unsafe behavior,” Minor said.
When that happens, they call MUPD to issue a trespassing warning, normally in person but sometimes over the phone.
Smotherson said she believes her residence hall is still safe. She’s lived there for four years.
Weimer said this was the first case of stalking reported to MUPD since April 2005.`
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