DAVIS, Calif. — For two weekends in a row, violent crimes have occurred at off-campus parties at the University of California, Davis. On Feb. 26, a man was struck in the head at a large party and another received a stab wound to the chest. The previous weekend, students and other partygoers were robbed at gunpoint.
Davis police spokesman Lt. Paul Doroshov believes that the incidents could be attributed to social networking. The parties, he said, get out of control after attendees spread the word on Facebook, The Sacramento Bee reports. Police broke up a 200-person party on Saturday night and found a 19-year-old man with a head injury. Another attendee who is 18 checked into the UC Davis Medical Center with a stab wound to the chest later that night.
On Feb. 20, police responded to a call from the Nu Alpha Kappa fraternity house. Two men had been asked to leave a party at the off-campus fraternity; instead one of the men robbed four attendees at gunpoint. The pair then took car keys from the fraternity and stole a car. While attempting to flee the scene, they crashed into the wall of a day care center. Police later found a gun in the day care playground.
Police apprehended Daniel Chavez, 19, at the scene. He is facing car theft and weapons charges. His accomplice escaped on foot. Both men are believed to be gang members.
