2008 Woodie Awards
Palace Under Siege
Mark Fuller
Issue date: 4/22/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 4 next >
|
Stories and rumors concerning the event graced the tongues of area residents and decorated newspapers and television screens throughout Central New York this week, making it impossible to escape the disturbing aftershocks of the stabbings that gripped this small town.
Startled and frightened by what happened, Colgate and Hamilton residents wonder how this after-party turned into a brawl equipped with knives, airborne furniture and even a handgun.
On Saturday night, April 16, the Palace had been rented to an outside group known as Holla Entertainment. The group, made up of SUNY Morrisville students, though unassociated with the college, had procured the venue for the purposes of throwing an after-party following a Morrisville fashion show. Several hundred people had filled the Palace by the time violence broke out.
At 1:17 a.m. Sunday morning, the Hamilton Police were contacted by the 911 Emergency Center, which reported a fight involving approximately 200 people was in progress at the Palace Theater.
"The two Hamilton units responded and entered the building to find several separate fights taking place," Hamilton Chief of Police James Tilbe said.
Three additional police units arrived shortly thereafter, two from different sheriff's offices and one from the State Police. The crowd inside the palace was described as having gone from peaceful to belligerent in a matter of moments.
Colgate junior Emily Colahan was present for the brawl, observing behind the bar that night as a prospective employee.
"Everything was fine. It was really crowded and all of a sudden everyone ran [from the bar] to the balcony," she said. "Girls started running up the stairs and screaming. Down on the dance floor, there were four groups of guys fighting."
Though the upper level remained relatively peaceful, the congested dance floor below had erupted into chaos with people throwing couches and barstools at each other."
According to Colahan, the fighting went on for a while before anyone came.