A peaceful party turned into what Minneapolis police called a riot involving about 30 officers Sunday night near campus. When the smoke cleared, officers arrested or cited eight people.
According to police reports, officers were called to 828 23rd Ave. S.E. because a party was too loud. There were about 40 to 50 people at the party.
When police arrived a man was rapping on a microphone in the garage, said Aaron Fruen, 19, of Maple Grove.
“He was flowing, and he said something like I’ve got 12 slugs for the (police),'” Fruen said. Officers approached Dana Leylan Willey, 19, and questioned what he meant by the lyric, Fruen said.
Another man, James Tirrell White, 20, then rushed one of the officers and punched him in the face.
Police officials at the Second Precinct confirmed the officer had been punched and sustained a black eye. They also said Willey threatened to kill officers.
Both men were charged with assault among other charges. Others were cited with underage consumption, curfew violations and disruptive party charges.
But Quincy Irmiter, 23, a resident of the house, said he was upset about the actions of the police. He said an officer entered the house without permission.
“I was mad about the officer in the house, but not that they were kicking people out of the party,” Irmiter said.
Shawn Ward, 20, of Crystal, said he arrived at the party when the police were there. He said they immediately questioned him as he walked to the house.
“One ran his finger in front of my eyes to see if I was drunk, but I hadn’t been drinking and they arrested me anyway,” Ward said.
Ward received minor consumption and disruptive party citations and had his truck towed. He said he will fight the consumption charge in court.
“I’ve had 15 minor (consumptions) and I’m not going to get a 16th.”
In other police news:

ù A University student found a suspicious box that he thought looked like a bomb on the Washington Avenue bridge Friday.
According to police reports, the box was sitting near a bench in the enclosed walk bridge. Stenciled on the top of the box was “Open Me” and on the opposite side “I.R.P.” with an unknown number. Sgt. Jo Anne Benson said she didn’t know what the letters or numbers meant.
University Police and the Minneapolis Bomb Squad were called to investigate. Officers cleared out and blockaded the bridge.
When the box was opened, police found a Fuji Quicksnap camera. They disposed of the box and camera.

ù The 30-foot-tall, 500- to 600-pound gopher, icon of the Gopher Campus Motor Lodge, was returned Monday.
Jim King, a reporter for WCCO-TV, returned the rodent statue for an unidentified party.
“They didn’t want to get involved with any prosecution,” said manager Roman Sowada. He had promised not to question or prosecute if the gopher was returned.
The statue returned without the 25-foot pole the gopher perched on while overlooking the intersection of Fourth Street and Tenth Avenue.
“I’m positive that the (fraternities) took it,” Sowada said. “But I can’t point fingers.”
King said he picked the gopher up from a family in Edina who had friends who were in a fraternity at the University. King refused to disclose the name of the fraternity.
Associate journalism professor William Babcock, a specialist in media ethics, said WCCO stepped over the line by returning the gopher for the people who took it.
“They should know better,” Babcock said. “All we can speculate is that they are fencing stolen property.”
King said he discussed it with the news director and the producer and, because there was no active criminal investigation, they had no ethical qualms with returning the gopher.

ù University men’s basketball players Quincy Lewis and Rob Schoenrock were the victims of a hit and run early Thursday morning.
According to police reports, Lewis’ car was hit in the rear passenger side quarter panel by a Chevrolet Lumina at about 1 a.m. The Lumina then fled the scene.
“We were just driving around,” Schoenrock said. He also said the suspect called Lewis the next day.
Schoenrock wouldn’t comment further. Lewis also refused to comment.
University Police are investigating.