Officer Injured, Students Arrested After On-Campus Brawl

Sergeant Jason McCumber of the Frostburg State University Police force was taken to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center (WMRMC) on Saturday night after incurring a blow to the face while breaking up a student fight on the FSU campus. Six individuals, four of whom were arrested and face multiple charges, were in an exterior entranceway to Westminster Hall throughout the fight.

The Allegany County District Court Commissioner’s Office named Anthony Jeffries, 18, as the individual charged with assaulting McCumber. Jeffries is being charged with: disorderly conduct, assault in the second degree on a law enforcement officer, and affray – a common law charge for fighting to the disturbance of other individuals. Jeffries is not a student enrolled at Frostburg State University. The reason for his presence on the campus is unknown.

Jeffries, currently of Germantown, Md., was charged as an adult at the age of 15 after stabbing an individual in 2013 in a robbery attempt at the Twinbrook Metrorail station in Rockville, Md. He was initially charged with attempted first degree murder. Jeffries was indicted on December 5 for attempted first and second degree murder, assault, and armed robbery. Court records show that all charges were nolle prossed – the state discontinued prosecution.

In December 2015, Jeffries was found guilty of conspiring to commit a robbery and was given three years of probation, as well as a $75 fine . His parole officer is Vanessa Evans of Rockville, Md.

In January 2016, Jeffries was facing nine charges – including possession of a handgun on his person, possession of handgun by a minor, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of a firearm after being convicted of a common law crime, possession of handgun in a vehicle, possession of a controlled dangerous substance that is not marijuana, possession of marijuana, illegal possession of prescription drugs with intent to distribute, and the illegal removal of the label on the prescription drug container. All nine charges were nolle prossed.

University officials state that the other three individuals charged in associated with the event “most likely had misdemeanor charges.”

Video of the incident circulated on social media on Saturday morning and has since been deleted. The video showed what appeared to be individuals throwing each other against the glass walls of the entrance and actively ignoring the attempts of two campus police officers to physically intervene.

An official press release from the university states that “pepper spray was deployed to break up the fight.” Officers were reportedly in the area to “disperse several groups of people totaling about 125” in the lower quad section of campus composed of primarily upperclassmen residence halls.

University officials state that, while the fight only included six individuals, “clusters” of students formed around the residence halls observing the fight.

FSU Police were joined by allied agencies including City and State Police as well as the Sheriff’s Department, after the fight commenced. Law enforcement was able to “disperse the crowds in the area within 30 minutes.” Students in the area reported difficulties entering their dorms in the area as a result of the crowds.

The crowd was allegedly the result of students mingling after the end of a dance in the Lane University Center. The event, an afterparty for Paparazzi Perfect, a modeling organization on campus, ended at around 2:00 a.m. The annual event occurred without incident.

Srgt. McCumber was released from WMRMC after being treated for his injuries.

Brad Kroner contributed to this report.