University of Virginia Library

Students React
To False Bust

A false drug bust in Fitzhugh
dormitory Monday night resulted in a
swift reaction by students in other
dormitories who were fearful of further
"police action."

According to students and a
counselor-head resident in Fitzhugh
dormitory, several students residing in the
building announced through a
loud-speaker system at midnight Monday
that they were police and state narcotics
agents and that there was about to be a
bust in the dormitory.

One student stated that few of the Fitzhugh
residents heard the announcement but that
those who did realized immediately that the
supposed bust was only a practical joke.

Two students, it seems, believed that a bust
was about to take place, however, and called
WUVA, one of the two University radio
stations. WUVA then reported the "Fitzhugh
bust" to the general University community.

The announcement by the radio station
caused near pandemonium in other dormitories.
Approximately 50 students rushed to Fitzhugh
to watch the "bust" but the crowd dissipated
quickly when they realized that the news report
was erroneous.

One of the students involved in the incident
stated that a Student Council member was on
the scene within five minutes of the broadcast
to, in that student's words, "protect student
rights."

In other dormitories, counselors and
resident advisors rushed the "news" of the bust
to the uninformed, while other students
prepared for further busts.

In one dormitory, students reported that
there was a rush towards bathrooms followed
by a mass flushing of toilets. In another
dormitory students were discovered locking
their doors and windows en masses.

A few minutes after the initial broadcast of
the "Fitzhugh bust", WUVA announced that
the incident had been a complete
misunderstanding and that no bust had taken
place.

The second newscast led one student in the
McCormick Road dormitories to express
dissatisfaction as he "was up for some action."
Another student was heard complaining that he
had lost over $30 worth of drugs in the
bathroom.