2 arrests made in Frat Row stabbings
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Staff
October 17, 2005
Two arrests were made last week for the six stabbings that took place Oct. 2 on N. Pleasant St. and more are expected soon.
Meanwhile, one University of Massachusetts student who police named as a stabbing victim now claims he was never stabbed.
Police arrested a 16-year-old male from Sunderland on Wednesday afternoon at the Amherst Regional High School's alternative Annex School on Southeast St., where the suspect is a student. He was charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (shod foot) and assault and battery.
The suspect was released into the custody of his parents. He was arraigned Thursday morning at Hampshire County juvenile court. After his arraignment, he was placed into the custody of the court, according to Det. Ronald Young.
The second arrest in the case occurred Thursday morning when police took a 15-year-old Amherst male into custody. The arrest also occurred at the Annex School, where the suspect is also a student.
The second suspect was originally arrested the night of the assaults and charged with illegal possession of a class D substance (marijuana). However, new information led police to file additional charges.
According to police, witnesses observed the second suspect kicking stab victim Alp Akiner as he lay on the ground.
The second suspect was arraigned Friday afternoon at the Hampshire County Juvenile Court on charges of assault by means of a dangerous weapon (shod foot) and assault and battery.
Young believes more arrests will be made in the near future.
"We're convinced there was a lot of foot traffic," Young said. "If people saw what happened, we'd love to hear from them."
Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to call Amherst police at 413-256-4015.
In the meantime, police refused comment Friday regarding a recent development in the case. A man, who police named as a stabbing victim, UMass student Sean Fitzgibbons of North Attleboro, has now claimed that he was not stabbed.
Fitzgibbon phoned the Daily Collegian last week to say he was at the crime scene, but had not actually been stabbed. He explained that he happened to be walking by the area when the fight broke out and he somehow cut his arm. He said a police officer, who was taking his witness statement observed the laceration and advised him to seek medical attention.
Police still listed Fitzgibbon as a stabbing victim as of press time.
A total of six men, five of whom are UMass students, were reported stabbed outside the Pi Delta Psi fraternity Oct. 2.
Police first responded to the scene around 12:30 a.m. on a report of a large fight. Two people were found stabbed at that time.
Christopher Canton, 21, of 374 N. Pleasant St., which is the house of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, was found stabbed in the head.
Joseph Gratton, also of 374 N. Pleasant St. was found stabbed in the left bicep.
At 1:12 a.m., police were called back to the scene on a report of another fight. Three men were found stabbed.
Stephen Fiore, 20, of Somerville was found stabbed several times in the back.
Alp Akiner, 18, of Woodcliff, N.J. received a stab wound to the side.
Police said Fitzgibbon was found stabbed in the arm.
At 2:25 a.m., police were called to 17 Southpoint Drive on a report of a man who had been stabbed.
Thi Ly, 23, of 266 E. Hadley Rd. was found stabbed in the hand. Police believed he was involved in the fights on Frat Row.
The case is still under investigation.
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