At least two people were injured Saturday night after several people described by witnesses as Northwestern football players started a fight outside the Kappa Sigma fraternity house, police said.
The next morning, Kappa Sig’s front door was found spray-painted with an expletive in white paint, University Police Lt. Nick Parashis said.
Police said they are still investigating both incidents and have no suspects.
The instigators had tried to get into the party, the quarter’s first fraternity party with alcohol, but were denied entrance at about 11:30 p.m. because they were not on the guest list, a police report said.
“It was very crowded from the beginning, so we were very strict about letting people in,” said Rob Melville, a McCormick junior and Kappa Sig member.
Melville said the instigators of the fight stood near the entrance of the Kappa Sig house, 2251 Sheridan Road, for about an hour after being denied entrance. Eventually, they started to argue and punch people, Melville said.
Kappa Sig President James Finley declined to comment about the specifics of the incident because several fraternity members may press charges.
According UP Sgt. Tim Reusse, the student who called police said there were 200 to 250 people outside and that a “verbal altercation” was taking place. Eyewitness accounts reported closer to 50 people.
Reusse said one Kappa Sig member was punched in the face in the basement restroom and was found on the floor with a bloody nose.
He declined medical treatment but was referred to Searle Student Health Services, Reusse said.
Another Kappa Sig member suffered a minor bruise after being struck in the head while trying to control the crowd, Reusse said. The victim described his attackers to the police as football players, Reusse added.
Finley, a McCormick senior, said other fraternity members also were injured, but he declined to give specific information.
Reusse said police officers told party-goers to leave, and the party was over by midnight, Finley reported.
“(The members) are upset that they put a lot of planning and work into this type of party and it was over in an hour and a half,” Finley said.
No one was taken into custody, Reusse said.
Finley said he knew the identity of some of the students described as football players, but he declined to give names.
Director of Athletics Rick Taylor said he had not heard about the incident as of Sunday night.
Finley said the fraternity will hire off-duty police officers to guard the door at their next party to try to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Interfraternity Council President Phil Ordway said IFC members were investigating the incident but declined to comment further.
