Sep 22, 2008 5:30 pm US/Eastern
Murdered Student Was Nephew Of Famous Coach
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
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Tubby Smith (file image)
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
The stabbing death of a
Becker College student at an off-campus party over the weekend has the college revisiting the challenge of making good choices.
The incident marks the second straight weekend college student parties have gotten out of hand in Worcester.
Detectives returned Monday to the North Ashland Street neighborhood where Worcester Police found about 50 people in the street after a 911 call.
(screams) 911 Operator: What's happening there?
Caller: Somebody just got stabbed. Somebody's down the street.
911: Is the person who stabbed him still there?
Caller: I have no idea, m'am. Things are absolutely wild right now.
William Smith of Scotland, Maryland, the 19-year-old nephew of University of Minnesota basketball coach
"Tubby" Smith, died after being stabbed in the heart. He had just transferred to Becker College from Shepherd University in West Virginia only a few weeks ago to major in Sports Management and play basketball.
Elizabeth Pion, center on Becker's women's basketball team, knew him.
"He was just a very innocent kid. (He) didn't say anything. (He) always kept to himself. He was just a very, very nice kid. Big shock. Big shock."
Pion lives across the street from a three-decker a half-dozen blocks from campus where, during a party she did not attend, a fight broke-out that led to the stabbing, according to police.
Sarah Piskala said she was there before the fight and the stabbing. She said one of the hosts told uninvited guests who don't attend Becker to leave, which led to a heated argument.
"So you left?" Ron Sanders asked.
"I left. Yes, sir," Piskala said.
"And you feel that was a good choice?" Sanders asked.
"Such a good choice," she said.
Kenneth Cameron, Vice-President of Student Affairs at Becker, said, "We will have some residence hall meetings to discuss what happened, making good choices."
Just across the street from Holy Cross, a week ago Sunday, Worcester Police had to break-up a party of about 500 students that spilled into Caro Street. Several were arrested. A number of them later apologized to the city.
Worcester Police spokesman Kerry Hazelhurst says his department is working hard with campus police at Worcester's colleges to make sure students know they're not going to tolerate rowdiness or violence. There are 13 colleges in the Worcester area. Becker's enrollment is about 1,300 students.
Investigators are working on leads in the murder case, but by late Monday there were no arrests.
Residents held a community vigil near the murder scene at the corner of Dix and Ashland streets Monday evening.
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