New Britain Police Ask CCSU Student Whose Ninja Costume Caused Campus Shutdown to Pay for Police Response

The New Britain police chief has asked the family of the former CCSU student whose Halloween costume sparked a campus-wide emergency and lockdown to foot the $13,000 bill for the department's emergency response.

New Britain Police Chief Jim Wardwell said he has contacted the state’s attorney to ask the family of David Kyem, who was a senior at the school, to help reimburse the department.

Sixty-two New Britain police officers were dispatched to CCSU earlier this month when Kyem's costume alarmed other students on campus. The costume included camouflage pants, knee pads, a dark hood pulled over his head, goggles and a face mask, a ballistic vest, plastic samurai sword and a BB gun.

Expenses for overtime, comp time, straight time and criminal investigation amounted to a total of $13,062.35, Wardwell said.

Wardwell said he is asking for a $13,000 reimbursement from Kyem and his family.

Kyem was arrested twice in the days following the incident and is no longer a student. His father, Peter Kyem, is a geography professor at the university.

He's charged with breach of peace and criminal trespassing and is due in court on Dec. 11.

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