Eugene police and campus safety officers responded to a report of an abduction late Wednesday night in the parking lot between Deady Halls and Villard Hall, but arrived to the scene to find out it was a false alarm because students were rehearsing for a play.
The caller, an unnamed University student, witnessed an unidentified male student grab an unidentified female student at knifepoint and put her in the trunk of a car. The caller ran to a phone in Pacific Hall and called 911. EPD called DPS and both arrived to quickly find out that it was a play rehearsal that was scheduled for the parking lot.
The Department of Theater Arts and the University Theatre did not respond to Emerald phone call inquiries about the student play, nor could the Emerald confirm the name of the play.
“(EPD and DPS) found out it was a play, not an abduction,” EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin said.
DPS Capt. Herbert Horner said that the play was scheduled a month and a half ago.
“It was kind of unfortunate,” Horner said, adding he didn’t know who made the reservation for the parking lot.
Horner explained that all DPS officers on campus responded to the dispatch as well as “a lot of” EPD officers.
“When the officers arrived, there wasn’t much going on in the lot, but the students explained what was going on,” he said. “It didn’t take very long to clear the matter up.”
When DPS reserved the parking lot, they did not inquire about the nature of the play.
“We didn’t think to ask what the play was about,” Horner said. “This will make us ask about the content in the future.”
Horner said DPS learned from the incident.
“It was fortunate that it turned out to be a play and not a real incident, but we absolutely thank the student that called us because it’s better to err on the side of caution,” Horner said.
The University’s Women’s Center also reported the incident on Twitter, informing community members following its feed to remain calm if they witness what looks to be an abduction in the parking lot between Deady and Villard and that the play will continue tonight.
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