NoVa Residents Arrested At WV Party After Coronavirus Closure

MORGANTOWN, WV — Charges have been filed against nine people in Morgantown, West Virginia, including three Northern Virginia residents, accused of throwing beer bottles, cans and other debris at police officers who were tying to break up a party in the college town, according to the Morgantown Police Department.

A large group of students had gathered at the block party in the Sunnyside area of Morgantown after West Virginia University announced earlier in the week that it was suspending all in-person classes for the rest of the semester as a precaution to spreading the new coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Morgantown Police Department officers responded to the area Thursday at around 5:45 p.m. where a crowd of students was blocking the street. Officers attempted to disperse the crowd using a loudspeaker but were confronted by "a highly agitated and intoxicated crowd," the police department said. The crowd continued to grow in size and in volatility and continued to throw objects at officers, according to police.

Eventually, after the crowd continued throwing objects at officers, officers shot three rounds of tear gas, causing the crowd to quickly disperse from the area.

The Morgantown police arrested nine people, including three Northern Virginia residents who are reportedly students at West Virginia University. The police issued a news release that listed the names of the people arrested, including the three Northern Virginia residents:

• Connor Buhrow, 21 of Fairfax was charged with a Nuisance Party and Failure to Maintain a litter free premise and also was charged following a second encounter with an officer for Public Intoxication.
• Joshua Love, 21 of Fairfax was charged with a Nuisance Party and Failure to Maintain a litter free premise.
• Sarah Hogan, 21 of Woodbridge was charged with a Nuisance Party.

“It is unfortunate that some students’ behavior turned into a dangerous and threatening situation for law enforcement officers and others. This is not acceptable," West Virginia University said Friday in a statement. "We remind our students that their actions should always represent our Mountaineer values. However, this is especially true during the current novel coronavirus outbreak. "

As of Sunday night, West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Resources was still reporting no positive tests for the coronavirus out of 41 people test. Thirty-eight have come back negative with three more still pending as of Sunday evening.

West Virginia is now the only state in the nation without a confirmed case, although Gov. Jim Justice has said coronavirus is likely in the state without yet being identified.