Some Evacuees Cause Trouble In Murfreesboro
Police Report Public Drunkeness, Shoplifting, Public Sex
POSTED: 4:55 pm CDT September 5,
2008
UPDATED: 5:44 pm CDT September 5,
2008
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Evacuees from Hurricane Gustav are starting to head home after spending the week in middle Tennessee.
Video: Evacuees Accused Of Stealing From Wal-MartWhile many of the Gulf Coast residents were gracious guests during their stay, police said some have caused a few problems in Murfreesboro.Zine Shannon was evacuated from New Orleans to Murfreesboro and set to go home on Friday, and she said she'll always be grateful to her hosts."I loved it here. The people treated us nice. We ate well. I had a very nice time here," said Shannon.While police said most evacuees are gracious, a few have caused problems."We want to be a good host to our evacuees while they are here. While they are here, we expect them to abide by the laws and behave accordingly," said Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans.Police said no incidents have been violent, but there have been multiple reports of public drunkeness around a local gas station.Other problems include shoplifting at a Murfreesboro Wal-Mart and reports of evacuees trying to sell drugs to college kids."We've had calls of (evacuees) knocking on doors. In one case there were two people allegedly having sexual relations on a bus while being transported back between Rutherford Wal-Mart and MTSU," said Evans.MTSU police said there was a drug arrest and some theft reports on campus.The chief said it's important to separate fact from a lot of the rumors flying around campus when deciding whether or not to take in evacuees again."It's important for us to evaluate our response and our ability to handle this type of situation by examining the actual facts of what happened," said MTSU Chief Buddy Peaster.Earlier this week, MTSU president Sidney McPhee sent out a letter letting people know about the evacuees and encouraging everyone to take safety precautions.There have been some parents upset about some of the interactions with students.The recreation center on campus held about 450 evacuees for the week. Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers and Murfreesboro police helped with security at the shelter.
Video: Evacuees Accused Of Stealing From Wal-MartWhile many of the Gulf Coast residents were gracious guests during their stay, police said some have caused a few problems in Murfreesboro.Zine Shannon was evacuated from New Orleans to Murfreesboro and set to go home on Friday, and she said she'll always be grateful to her hosts."I loved it here. The people treated us nice. We ate well. I had a very nice time here," said Shannon.While police said most evacuees are gracious, a few have caused problems."We want to be a good host to our evacuees while they are here. While they are here, we expect them to abide by the laws and behave accordingly," said Murfreesboro police spokesman Kyle Evans.Police said no incidents have been violent, but there have been multiple reports of public drunkeness around a local gas station.Other problems include shoplifting at a Murfreesboro Wal-Mart and reports of evacuees trying to sell drugs to college kids."We've had calls of (evacuees) knocking on doors. In one case there were two people allegedly having sexual relations on a bus while being transported back between Rutherford Wal-Mart and MTSU," said Evans.MTSU police said there was a drug arrest and some theft reports on campus.The chief said it's important to separate fact from a lot of the rumors flying around campus when deciding whether or not to take in evacuees again."It's important for us to evaluate our response and our ability to handle this type of situation by examining the actual facts of what happened," said MTSU Chief Buddy Peaster.Earlier this week, MTSU president Sidney McPhee sent out a letter letting people know about the evacuees and encouraging everyone to take safety precautions.There have been some parents upset about some of the interactions with students.The recreation center on campus held about 450 evacuees for the week. Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers and Murfreesboro police helped with security at the shelter.
Previous Stories:
- September 2, 2008: Thousands Of Evacuees Come To Tenn.
- September 1, 2008: Four-Footed Evacuees Need Adoption
- August 31, 2008: Gustav Evacuee Assistance Hotline
- August 30, 2008: Gustav Evacuees Arrive In Tennessee
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