After Saturday’s buzzer-beater shot to send Gonzaga to the national championship game, neighborhoods around Spokane erupted into cheers. But a few hours later, the celebrations took a rowdy turn.
Between four and six couches were burned near the university Sunday night, said Brian Schaeffer, Spokane fire chief. The incidents come after a post-victory couch-burning earlier in the week that university president Thayne McCulloh called “completely unacceptable.”
“It’s disappointing and unfortunate,” Schaeffer said.
The fire department, along with law enforcement and Gonzaga University Campus Security, had a plan to patrol the area and ensure celebrations remained peaceful, according to a police department news release.
“Fortunately we had a plan that we exercised,” Schaeffer said. “It worked out successfully, and no one was hurt last night.”