Frat brothers charged in serious attack

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Plattsburgh State students arrested Tuesday on charges related to a gang assault (clockwise from upper left): Andrew Gregg, 19, of Albany; Christopher Tommasino, 20, of Plattsburgh; Mark Bulmer, 20, of Plattsburgh; and George Stackpole, 23, of Plattsburgh. Photo Provided

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May 4, 2010

By STEPHEN BARTLETT Staff Writer The Press Republican Tue May 04, 2010, 08:45 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — PLATTSBURGH — Ryan McKinstry said he went to a frat party to pick up his friend, who had been drinking, and drive him home.

Instead, the 20-year-old ended up in the hospital, where he underwent hours of surgery and left with stitches and screws in his jaw.

That happened nearly two weeks ago, and now four fraternity brothers have been charged with gang assault.

Plattsburgh City Police on Tuesday announced the arrests of Plattsburgh State students Andrew Gregg, 19, of Albany; Mark Bulmer, 20, of Plattsburgh; Christopher Tommasino, 20, of Plattsburgh; and George Stackpole, 23, of Plattsburgh.

Tommasino and Stackpole were arrested April 29, and Gregg and Bulmer on April 30.

NO LONGER STUDENTS

Plattsburgh State officials said they couldn’t comment on details of an ongoing case.

“The individuals involved are, at this point, no longer our students,” Michelle Ouellette, director of public relations and publications at Plattsburgh State, said Tuesday afternoon.

“I can tell you in cases like this that involve violence it is pretty typical for us to suspend students on an interim basis while their cases move through the system.”

LOOKING FOR FRIEND

According to City Court documents, at around 1 a.m. April 23, McKinstry’s sister dropped him off at a house rented by members of Theta Kappa Beta fraternity to pick up a friend who had been drinking. McKinstry planned to drive them back in the friend’s car.

McKinstry told police he entered the house, on South Catherine Street, through the back door as party-goers walked in and out and smoked on the back porch. He spotted his friend as he entered the kitchen.

ALLEGED BEATING

McKinstry told police that Gregg, brass knuckles over his left hand, suddenly punched him in the side of the head.

McKinstry, dazed and in pain, fell to the floor. Another fraternity member allegedly dragged McKinstry into the living room as a third college student restrained his friend to prevent him from helping McKinstry.

Once he was in the living room, one fraternity member held McKinstry down as Gregg, still wearing brass knuckles, Bulmer, Tommasino and Stackpole took turns repeatedly punching him in his face and head, according to statements in City Court documents.

McKinstry said he tried to curl into a ball and blacked out.

“The next memory I have is of being in the back parking lot standing up.”

His friend told police that when the fraternity members were done beating McKinstry, they dragged him by his neck to the back door.

“As I went past them, they told me, in a laughing voice, to go find my friend,” the friend told police.

INJURIES

McKinstry’s sister picked them up, and she, the friend and others attempted to clean up his face before telling him he had to go to the hospital.

McKinstry was initially transported to CVPH Medical Center and then Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, where he underwent hours of surgery.

His injuries included cuts to his face and fractures to his mandible (lower jaw) bone. He required several stitches in his mouth and screws in his jaw.

Health-care workers at CVPH reported the injuries to police.

The four suspects are facing charges of first-degree gang assault. Gregg has been additionally charged with fourth-degree possession of a weapon.

After being arraigned, the young men were sent to Clinton County Jail. They are expected to return to City Court Wednesday.

Police have not released a motive for the alleged attack and are continuing to investigate. More arrests are expected.

The attack is the third in the city that qualified for the recently created felony gang-assault charge.

— Staff Writer Andrea VanValkenburg contributed to this report.