Several San Jose State students are concerned about their safety and security while living in or visiting off-campus student apartment complex “The Grad San Jose” after numerous people fomented violence, resulting in damage to the building on the night of Sept. 11.
San Jose Police Department officers responded to vandalism reports at the apartment complex at about 12:06 a.m. on Sept. 12, Sgt. Christian Camarillo said in an email.
Many people participated in the vandalism and were captured on videos that circulated social media platforms including Instagram and Snapchat, depicting them yelling and throwing electric scooters at the complex. The vandalism resulted in a shattered lobby window.
A report was filed but no suspects have been identified or arrested, Camarillo said.
The Grad is located on the corner of East San Carlos and Third streets, a block away from SJSU main campus.
The Grad’s General Manager Erika Barragan said it was not a “normal” weekend for the staff.
“It is very unusual for us, and me as well, to experience such a disturbance,” Barragan said.
The complex can house more than 1,000 SJSU students in its 19 floors, according to a Nov. 19 2018 news release announcing the building’s completion.
The Grad offers “luxury” student housing, according to the building website.
Students in the complex recounted the only working elevator out of three breaking down from over-capacity at 10:27 p.m., about 2 hours before the vandalism incident
A student who prefers to be referred to as B.K. for privacy concerns, was attending several parties in the complex and said he was stuck in the elevator with more than 20 people for more than 45 minutes.
He said the elevator went up and then dropped “about a foot” to the third floor.
B.K. said those inside the elevator tried pressing alarms and calling police but there was no reception in the elevator.
After being stuck for around 30 minutes, B.K. said the group received a call saying assistance would arrive in about 15 minutes.
“We were kind of stressing out at this point because people are passing out for like minutes at a time,” he said.“There's people on the floor trying to [catch] their breath.”
Barragan said she received an emergency call regarding the elevator, called the elevator management company and met with an elevator technician to help those stuck.
“When the doors opened, we found that there was an over-capacity of people in the elevator,” she said.
As the crowd exited the elevator, Barragan said she realized none of those stuck were residents of the building.
Barragan said according to The Grad’s policy and leasing agreement, guests must be with a resident otherwise it’s considered trespassing if they’re not “real guests.”
She said she asked those who’re not considered guests to leave and informed the security about the guest policy.
“The [guest] policy, it didn't specify, as far as how many guests you're allowed to have,” Barragan said. “We do want to welcome our students who have their friends or family here so we weren't really enforcing the two person rule.”
The Grad’s guest policy has changed to two checked-in people per resident as a result of the Sept. 11 incidents, according to a Sept. 14 email to residents.
“I felt it was necessary at that time just due to the amount of people that were considering themselves guests,” Barragan said.
She said an individual opened the door to the property and let in a “swarm of people” shortly after the crowd dispersed from the elevator.
“We were outnumbered by that point,” she said.
Multiple students said they saw security guards and police officers trying to manage the large crowds.
Biomedical engineering freshman Harrison Haylock said he was going to a party on the 16th floor when he saw police officers managing a rowdy crowd.
“It was really crowded. A lot of people [were] trying to go up to the 16th floor because there's supposedly another party up there,'' Haylock said. “Then we see police officers with their little guns or whatever, or batons standing at the fucking door, everyone files out the fucking Grad, I’m being pushed up against people, being squished and stuff.
Barragan also confirmed at least one of the Grad’s security officers pepper sprayed members in the crowd during the night.
Business junior Shianne Foster said on the same night she hosted a “kickback” in the multipurpose room, which attracted more students than she anticipated.
“I didn't even know 75% of the people who were there,” Foster said. “I tried to tell people that they need to leave but they wouldn't listen to me.”
Foster said she received a notice on Sept. 16 from The Grad’s leasing office alerting her she had three days to move out because she was tied to the lobby’s window vandalism.
The Grad’s management asked Foster to move out because they suspected an attendee at her party was responsible for the damage.
Foster said The Grad management told her she was financially responsible for the window damages.
“I was trying to tell them it is not that easy to just get up and leave and find another place to stay, especially within a three day period,” She said. “It really doesn't work like that and they were telling me ‘well we can't help you with that.’ ”
Foster said she felt the decision was unfair because she didn’t know everyone who attended the party and there were several other parties that night.
“I just feel like this could have easily been prevented and they're blaming me for all the events that happened that night,” she said.
Foster said she was already back in her apartment at the time of the window vandalization.
She also said security officers rarely ever checked for resident identification and “anyone” could come in.
“They [the security] allow these events to happen and pile up,” she said.
Barragan said she’s not allowed to disclose any information about the student or the vandalization because the incident is still an open case.
“There's video surveillance and everything, so everything has been handed over to law enforcement, they're investigating,” Barragan said.
Foster said she was released from the punishment and was allowed to reside in her apartment after her father spoke to the leasing office on Sept. 20.
Barragan said she believes students’ repopulation to campus and downtown contributed to these incidents.
“I believe it's the influx of new students that moved in,” Barragan said. “And I don't believe they understand the lease agreement that they signed and how they're accountable for their guests, and it's unfortunate.”
Barragan said management is trying to work more collaboratively with law enforcement along with the stricter guest policy.
She said law enforcement performed its first security service Saturday after she filed an application to request SJPD presence on high traffic days.
“Providing that sense of security [for residents, friends and parents] is just going to help with the safety concerns that arose from [the vandalization],” Barragan said.
