Two charged, 122 tickets issued in connection with rowdy Dalhousie homecoming party

Two people are facing charges in connection with an unsanctioned Dalhousie University homecoming party that saw fires set, fireworks shot off and a person stabbed, in Halifax two months ago.

Halifax Regional Police provided an update Friday on the charges laid and tickets issued in connection with the rowdy street party.

Police say officers arrested two men for criminal offences.

Jordan Samuel Oszlak, 19, has been charged with:

• three counts of assaulting a police officer
• assaulting a police officer with a weapon
• resisting arrest

Luke Lockhart Slipp, 19, has been charged with:

• two counts of assaulting a police officer
• causing a disturbance
• resisting arrest

Oszlak and Slipp are both scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court at a later date.

Halifax police say they also issued a total of 122 summary offence tickets:

• 112 for Liquor Control Act violations
• summary offence tickets for noise by-law violations

Police say four people were also arrested for public intoxication under the Liquor Control Act.

The charges come after a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 “intoxicated people” gathered in the area of Jubilee Road, in Halifax’s south end, around 10 p.m. on Oct. 1.

In an October news release, police said they pulled several injured people from the crowd, including a 19-year-old man who had been stabbed. The stabbing remains under investigation. Anyone with information, or video, of the incident is asked to contact Halifax Regional Police.

"Some participants engaged in dangerous and criminal behaviour that caused significant safety hazards for many in the community and put a huge strain on police and first responder resources," said police in a news release Friday.

"There were fights occurring within the crowds, a man was stabbed, a fire was set in the street using debris from Hurricane Fiona, fireworks were set off in the crowds and in some cases directed towards residences, and some participants were climbing poles and trees."

Police say firefighters and paramedics couldn’t enter the area due to the crowds and safety concerns. As a result, officers had to put out the fire and bring a number of injured people – including the stabbing victim -- out of the area to paramedics for treatment.

Police say officers who weretrying to disperse the crowd were met with a” high level of resistance,” and a number of officers required treatment for non-life-threatening injuries after being punched, kicked, spit on and hit with projectiles.

At the time, Dalhousie Student Union President Aparna Mohan condemned the “violence” used by police in a Twitter thread, writing: “Students texted me saying @HfxRegPolice had begun to pepper spray, tear gas & jump partygoers at Larch Street tonight.”

In an interview with CTV News in October, Mohan said Dalhousie could take more responsibility for the incident.

“I want to point out the specific ways HRM and council and police take responsibility and invite everyone to have a more nuanced conversation,” said Mohan.

In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for Dalhousie University said the school had warned students that attending street parties is unacceptable, but noted, “It’s a complex and growing problem across North American universities that pose a high-risk for alcohol-related and safety incidents on campuses and nearby neighbourhoods.”