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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1992)
y—Nebraska rated 5th in the ^ TV^ nation by AVCA ^ 4 Partly cloudy and cooler lb today. Tomorrow, a Coming out < -Jg" ?me1o1,ain "lh a hi9h Chuck Green/D N Investigator Ron Lundy of the UNL Police Department holds the semiautomatic rifle that Arthur McElroy allegedly tried to fire at a classroom full of students Monday in Ferguson Hall. Gunman to be arraigned County attorney deciding charges By Chuck Green Senior Reporter A University of Ncbraska Lincoln student who alleg edly pointed a loaded semi automatic rifle at students and tried to fire will be arraigned at 2 p.m. today at the Lancaster County Jail. Arthur McElroy, 43, of Bcnnct, is being held without bond on sus picion of making terroristic threats, false imprisonment and use of a firearm to commit a felony. But Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey said Tuesday that he did not know what charges would be filed against McElroy. He said he would make his decision this morning. _ _ McElroy was arrested by Lancaster County deputies after he entered a classroom in Ferguson Hall Monday with a loaded Inland .30-calibcr M-l carbine and pointed it in a sweeping motion at students assembled for their 12:30 p.m. ac tuarial science class. Students who were in the class room at the time said the rifle jammed when McElroy tried to fire. Caublc sajd Monday that the rifle probably jammed because McElroy tried to push a round into the chamber with a round already in place. Ken Caublc, UNL police chief, said the rifle — a 1944-vintage military weapon with a collapsible stock—was registered to McElroy and was purchased in Lincoln last January. The rillc’s slock is constructed of metal rattier than wood; and a hinge allows it to fold parallel to the weapon. The model is lighter than those with wooden slocks and is used primarily by paratroopers. Caublc would not specify where McElroy bought the weapon. Caublc said he had not inter viewed McElroy, and no motive had been determined. Ron Lundy, an investigator with the UNL police, said McElroy was arrested with 83 rounds of ammu nition, including two 30-round magazines, a box of 21 extra shells and two more rounds in the rifle’s chamber. Lundy said the weapon would be taken to the Nebraska State Crime Lab today todelermine why the rifle would not fire and if it had been modified toa fully automatic capable weapon. Police follow old leads in Harms investigation By Susie Arth Senior Reporter Authorities arc hoping an old lead will provide new clues in the disappearance of UNL freshman Candice Harms, a Lancaster County investigator said. TN‘ ' k an investigator for the Lancaster o u n t y Sheriff’s De partment and a member of the task force on the Harms case, said au thorities were searching fora man who was reported walk Harms ing on 14th Street between Wavcrly and Bluff roads in the early morning hours of Sept. 23. Pckarck said he could not release a description of the man, but he urged anyone who had seen anybody in the area to call authorities. The area where the man was seen . walking, Pckarck said, is about one mile west of the milo field where Harms’ car was found on the evening of Sept. 23. The report of the man walking was received early in the case, he said, but police have not yet been able to iden tify or question him. “It’s nota new lead,” Pekarck said. “It was reported earlier on in the case.” Sgt. Ann Hccrmann of the Lincoln Police Department said authorities were hoping anyone with a descrip tion of the man would report it. As of Tuesday even ing, pol ice had not received any additional informa tion about the man. Until they get additional informa tion about the man, Hccrmann said, investigators arc keeping busy check ing out other possibilities. “We’redoing everything weean,” she said. “We’re following up on every crazy idea that comes in.” Media draw criticism for campaign coverage By Neil Feldman Staff Reporter_ Although press coverage of the 1992 presidential campaign often has been criticized, po litical science instructors at UNL can not agree on what direction the media arc leaning. John Comer, a political science professor at the University of Ne braSHca-Lincoln, said the broadcast Imedia tended to lead off with Prcsi lent Bush rather than Bill Clinton. “Quite often," Comer said, “Bush will make an allegation, and Clinton will respond. “Very rarely has a Clinton allega tion been the focus of a lead story." While Comer said the media had been biased toward Bush throughout the campaign, other instructors in the political science department said they thought the press had been straight forward toward all the candidates. Sunil Ahuja, a political science teaching assistant, said he thought the media’s coverage of the campaign had been quite accurate. “I think the press has done a pretty good job of covering the campaign,” he said. But Ahuja said liberals posed a problem for the media. “The press has recently been at tacked by liberals,” he said. “This has made the reporters look into Clinton's background a bit more.” - Although this may be true, other reports have suggested that the press has been looking further intoClinton’s background because of his lead in the polls. With only three weeks left in the campaign, critics said, the press tends to dig deeper into the leading candidate’s background. Political analyst Joseph Nyc, for example, said last week on “Inside Politics ’92" that the print media, especially major newspapers such as The New York Times and The Wash ington Post, had carried a number of research features about Clinton’s background. However, he said, find ing such an article about Bush’s or Ross Perot’s past was difficult. Anthony Dodson, a leaching assis tant in the political science depart ment, said press coverage by Lincoln media had been conservative. “To get a balanced view,” Dodson said, “it is necessary to read a number of sources. This town tends to be conservative; butoth^rf, for example, will take a strong liberal slant.” By reading several sources, Dodson See DEBATE on 6 OutWeek ’92 fosters gay/lesbian pride Upcoming OutWeek ‘92 events By Corey Russman Staff Reporter_ Gaysand lesbians at the Univer sity of Ncbraska-Lincoln arc uniting this week for “OulWcck ’92,” the first such event ever offered at UNL. Lise Johnston, co-chairperson of the Gay/Lcsbian Student Association, said she hoped the week would show solidarity among gays and lesbians. “We’re here, and we’re human,” Johnston said. “We have to educate (gays and lesbians) that they have something to be proud of.” David Bolkovac, co-chairperson of the association, said he hoped to create a week where gays and lesbians could come out and take pride in “OutWeck ’92" is offered in con junction with the Fifth annual Na tional Coming Out Day, which was Sunday. National Coming Out Day commemorated the Oct. 11, 1987, march on Washington D.C. that was aimed at increasing gay and lesbian awareness. As part of OutWeek ’92 activities at UNL, there will be a party at The Panic, 200 S. 18 th St., at 9 p.m. today. Two films about combatting homophobia and lesbian battering will be shown simultaneously at 7 p.m. Thursday in rooms 342 and 338 of the Nebraska Union. A workshop on spirituality and well-being will be offered at 7 p.m. Friday in Regency Room A of the Nebraska Union. The week concludes 7 p.m. Satur day with a talent show in the Nebraska Union Ballroom. Johnston said response loOulWcck ’92 activities had been positive so far. Events arc open to gays and lesbians, as well as heterosexuals, she said. Bolkovac said there had been “a lot of support from heterosexuals from both administration and the student body.” Three or four heterosexuals have come to each event, he said. Events began Monday when gays and lesbians shared their stories of coming out. Students had a night of art and literature Tuesday during which they read and showed their own works. Paul Moore, a senior majoring in speech communication, said he hoped the week would create more aware ness about -gays and lesbians. Moore said he also hoped to change some of the altitudes heterosexuals had about gays and lesbians. Bolkovac said he hoped the week would increase heterosexuals' under standing of gays and lesbians. About 25 percent of heterosexuals still are extremely negative towardgay/lcsbian issues, he said. * 11 Wednesday Midweek party at Panic!, all ages. 18th and N St. Thursday Movie: “Combatting Homophobia" Nebraska Union at 7 p.m. Movie: "Lesbian Battering," Nebraska Union at 7 p.m. Rooms to be posted. Friday Workshop on “Spirituality and Well-being" by Annie 1 Pearson, Centennial Ballroom in the Nebraska Union at 7 p.m. Saturday Amateur Alternative Talent | Night, Nebraska Union at — 7 p.m. --—- p X Source: Gay/lesbian Student Student Association