Who needs a gun in a college classroom?

http://reason.com/blog/2014/03/26/gmu-economist-tyler-cowen-pepper-sprayed

Economist, author, and George Mason University professor Tyler Cowen was pepper sprayed in his classroom today by a man trying to place him under citizen's arrest. ArlNow.com reported on the incident, which took place at GMU's Arlington, Virginia, campus this afternoon.

Police say the man entered the classroom and attempted to place the professor under a citizen’s arrest. The professor tried to get the man—described as a white male in his 20s or 30s—to leave, at which time the man pepper sprayed him

Click to expand...

Seems some students in the hallway outside the classroom grabbed and subdued the guy after he ran from the classroom. They held him while waiting for the police, which they summoned, to arrive. I do not believe they merely invited him to stand around and engage in conversation during that interval. As Cowen is described elsewhere as being popular among the student body (as opposed to just those pursuing an Econ. major) there is a high probability that some force might have been involved. Thank goodness that college students, who are not yet minions of the state, cannot be accused of using "excessive" force.

stay safe.

Citizen's Arrest?

I'd like to know what the "charge" was for the supposed arrest.

I don't know much about the citizen's arrest process, but I am pretty sure that a citizen's arrest can only be issued when a criminal act has occurred in plain view of the person issuing the "order". I am sure there are other suggestions to be made, but what remains is that the professor was ordered under arrest and we don't know what for.

That's the part of the story I want to see.

Well I hope that the guy's arrest was not related to his attempt to citizen's arrest the professor ... such actions are legal & are civil in nature if the Prof. should not have been arrested.

Do we have enough information to determine that the assailant was not a bad actor here? I'm not sure.

μολών λαβέ

seems the mr. Pendleton, the alleged attacker, is stating some interesting items: quote: ...accusing Cowen of hacking his computer and sexually harrassing him for several months. unquote

http://reason.com/blog/2014/03/27/gmu-prof-tyler-cowen-attacker-identified

additionally, this article doesn't mention anything about students assisting Cowen?

ipse

One could easily see at least 2 different situations here--- both with the professor being INNOCENT of any claimed wrongdoing.

1st--- Mr. Pendelton CLAIMS that the professor has hijacked the computer and sexually harassed him in an effort to criminally extort a cash settlement.
2nd--- Mr. Pendelton is mentally unstable and has imagined that what he is claiming has occurred.

I have absolutely zero additional info that what has been posted here and what I read in the just linked story by Solus that does not mention any "assistance" to the professor by other students.