Although gladiator fights were common in the Coliseum of Ancient Rome, Bradley’s Renaissance Coliseum saw a different kind of fight during a high school basketball shootout last week.
On Jan. 19, an incident broke out among attendees of the River City Shootout, an annual competition among local high school men’s basketball teams.
The first conflict occurred at 9:12 p.m. when officers responded to a fight in the lobby of Renaissance Coliseum. A Bradley University Police Department (BUPD) report detailing the altercation labeled it as “disorderly conduct,” as it involved three non-student females getting into a scuffle with other unnamed females.
No injuries were recorded.
BUPD arrested the female juvenile responsible for the incident this week, when they employed “paper arrest” methods that involved issuing a notice to appear in court.
The second incident occurred at 9:51 p.m., when officers working the shootout observed a group of non-student males kick another male lying in the street. The group fled the scene, and the male lying in the street said he did not know who was kicking him. He was transported to Methodist Hospital by ambulance.
The police report detailing the second conflict described it as “aggravated battery and mob action.” BUPD Chief Brian Joschko said police continue to investigate the case.
Because of lane blockage caused by a fire truck responding to the aggravated battery, BUPD worked with the Peoria Police Department and Peoria County Sheriff to divert traffic along Main Street. According to Joschko, it is not unusual for fire trucks to respond to incidences such as this, and it is common for BUPD to work with other local departments.
