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PULLMAN: SWAT team called in to search WSU fraternity

January 22, 2009, 10:58 am

The Pullman Police Department called in members of the regional SWAT team to execute a search warrant at a Washington State University fraternity Wednesday night.

Police responded to the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity shortly before 8:30 p.m. after receiving reports that members of the house located at 500 NE Colorado St. were furnishing alcohol to minors. When they arrived on scene, Pullman Cmdr. Chris Tennant said police found a crowd of intoxicated individuals playing with air soft guns.

An observing sergeant was notified that illegal substances were in a red Honda parked on the street. He flashed his light in the car and found a bong and bag of marijuana lying on the backseat floorboards, Tennant said.

A search warrant for the car was provided by the Whitman County District Court, and another warrant was granted for the house when the owner of the vehicle was later identified as a member of the fraternity.

Tennant said with four Pullman police officers and two from the Washington State University Police Department on scene, more law enforcement was needed to search the three-story house.

The regional SWAT team — made up of officers from the PPD, WSUPD and Whitman County Sheriff’s Office — were alerted shortly before midnight.

“We activated the SWAT team not because we needed special weapons and tactics, we just needed the bodies,” Tennant said.

Tennant said no one was hurt during the search, and no arrests were made. Officers did find marijuana, bongs and pipes in the house. He expects misdemeanor possession or unlawful use of drug paraphernalia charges to be filed against several individuals as the investigation continues.

Though no one present at the fraternity party was taken in to custody, a bystander, WSU student Ronald D. Gaydeski, 25, was cited for obstructing an officer.