EMU police investigating alleged choking assault in dorm stairwell
A man choked his ex-girlfriend in the stairwell at an Eastern Michigan University residence hall and was arrested by police on suspicion of domestic violence Wednesday.
EMU Police Chief Bob Heighes said Thursday police responded at 3:22 p.m. Wednesday to the Walton Residence Hall for a report of a person being assaulted. Heighes said the man went to the dorm to collect a piece of property from his ex-girlfriend.
She refused and an argument ensued, Heighes said. The woman struck the man and the man grabbed her and pushed her down before choking her, Heighes said.
Police were called the residence hall and the man was arrested, Heighes said. He was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail on domestic violence charges.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
PineyWoodsGuy
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 8:36 a.m.
"Hang a strangler when he's young, and he'll no straggle ae lass when he's auld." — Robert MacQueen, Lord Braxfield, Lord Justice of Scotland, 1776-1799
Fresh Start
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 12:48 a.m.
Why wasn't the woman arrested? The story implies she struck him first.
Peggy
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 12:36 p.m.
I agree with Fresh Start. "Struck" implies more than pushing him out of her room. She used "domestic violence" first. Just sayin'
Paul
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 3:22 a.m.
Yeah but was he injured ? Maybe it was to push him out of her room ? Any physical contact isn't always an assault. I can't imagine why he would start choking her, that is crazy. Glad he was arrested. Breaking up is never easy but it should not turn into choking the person.
Kyle Feldscher
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 9:13 p.m.
I received more information on this incident and have updated the story.
LXIX
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 9:25 p.m.
Very comprehensive story now. Great followup !
LXIX
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 8:52 p.m.
@lefty48197 UM has no such crime to report until it leaks out long after and thus ignored by the public as being old news. Why else would there be so many "construction" holes being dug around UM campus?
lefty48197
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 7:45 p.m.
Strangled as in MURDERED? It seems like there's an EMU student murdered every year now.
Eep
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 7:41 p.m.
The word "strangle" generally implies that the victim was killed. Was the victim killed? If not, the word "choke" would be more appropriate.
Eep
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 6:41 p.m.
@Lore Rogers, Now that the story has been updated, I agree with you. When I commented, the story just said that a student had been strangled in a stairway and that police were investigating. There was no information regarding the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator, and the story literally did not say whether the victim was injured, alive, or dead. It just seemed very sensational to say "student strangled in stairway" without any further context.
Lore Rogers
Fri, Mar 1, 2013 : 3:01 a.m.
Actually, strangled is the correct term and law enforcement across the country is being trained to use thst term. It does not imply that the victim was killed. Choking is what happens when you have something lodged in your throat. Using the word "choked" instead of "strangled" wrongly softens the perception of what actually happens, the victims of strangling cannot breathe, often sense they are losing consciousness, and feel terror that they are going to die. Which is usually what the abusive partner intends to make them feel. The act needs to be clearly and cirrectly named: this man is suspected of strangling his ex-girlfriend.
Cole Bertsos
Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 7:46 p.m.
Eep - The word strangle, in some circumstances, can be used in a non-fatal capacity, I definitely see your point and made the switch. Thanks for the suggestion!