Halloweenies

With Halloween falling on a Saturday night (in the middle of a weekend before a Monday furlough day at Chico State, no less), it was no surprise to anyone that there were larger crowds, increased public drunkenness and violence, and more arrests. The last two Halloweens have put the city’s ongoing efforts to quash the violence surrounding the holiday to the test. Last year’s Friday-night partying roughly doubled the previous year’s arrest numbers (from approximately 25 up to 50), and this year the Halloween night numbers were up to 59. Though, according to a Chico Police Department press release, the nature of this year’s incidents were “far more violent and dangerous.” Of the 137 arrests between 4 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 29) and 6:30 a.m. Sunday (Nov. 1), 19 involved weapons and/or violence, with one assault arrest and four battery arrests carrying additional criminal street-gang enhancement charges. Most of those arrested were Chico residents (78), with 48 identifying themselves as either Chico State (31) or Butte College (17) students.

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  Oct. 29 Oct. 30 Oct. 31 Total Drunk in public 15 31 41 87 DUI 3 5 0 8 Drug-related 1 4 0 5 Assault with deadly weapon 1 0 1 2 Weapons violation 0 5 1 6 Fighting in public 0 2 2 4 Battery 0 0 4 4 Warrant arrest 3 4 1 8 Other 0 4 5 9