A University of Virginia student faces assault, weapons and hate crime charges after allegedly brandishing a firearm at another student living in the same house.
Robert Cabell Romer, a 20-year-old Charlottesville resident, has been charged with entering another person’s property with the intent to damage the contents therein, threatening bodily harm, brandishing a firearm and assault and battery — specifically assault and battery in connection to another person’s race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color or ethnic or national origin.
Authorities have not identified which of those protected classes the alleged victim falls under.
Charlottesville detectives, who are assisting UVa police in their investigation, say Romer and his alleged victim both live at the house at 513 Rugby Road.
While the police identified the residence as a "fraternity house," UVa records show the property belonged to the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, which was banned from Grounds earlier this year for hazing violations. The fraternity is not allowed to return for at least the next four years.
The police also have not said whether Romer, his alleged victim or both have any connection to the fraternity that once resided at 513 Rugby Road. Online records only show that Romer is a student in the class of 2027.
University police were alerted to a conflict at the house on Wednesday.
“The victim advised that another male, who also lives at the residence brandished a firearm at him,” Charlottesville police said in a statement issued Friday. “The victim also described several past incidents with the suspect, which include alleged threatening messages and assault.”
Charges were filed the following day.
Romer was arrested and booked at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, but was out on bond as of Friday afternoon.
A joint Charlottesville-UVa investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the matter is encouraged to contact the anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line at (434) 977-4000.
This story was updated to say the property at 513 Rugby Road is no longer an active fraternity house after the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was banned from University of Virginia Grounds earlier this year.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com