Keg party ends in gunshots
By: Chris Shaw
Issue date: 11/15/09 Section: Other Stories
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According to the police report, Paige was hosting a keg party at his house on Autumn Street when he asked the victim, Michael Schaefgen, to leave. An altercation ensued, during which Paige pointed the gun at the Christian Brothers University alum and pulled the trigger twice before realizing the safety was on.
Schaefgen fled, and Paige fired two more times, once in the direction of Schaefgen and once into the air, police said.
Two hours later, U of M student Ethan Milligan, 19, drove Paige to the home of Schaefgen, and Paige fired shots into the residence, according to police. Milligan is charged with facilitation of aggravated assault.
Sophomore nursing major Alex Rejaei attended Paige's party and said Paige was showing the gun to people before the incident occurred.
"He was showing off the gun to everyone, and people were saying, 'Don't point that at me,'" Rejaei said. "Everyone was intimidated, and it was obvious he was pretty drunk."
Rejaei said he was upstairs when the initial shooting occurred, and he thought the noise came from further down the street. About 40 people were at the party when the shooting occurred, he said.
Senior journalism major Jared Hudson also attended the party and said he thought the dispute took place over a girl.
"I walked into the front of the house and saw (Paige) holding the gun and pointing it at Schaefgen," Hudson said.
Schaefgen later told investigators that his ex-girlfriend is currently dating Paige.
This incident is not the first gun-related crime involving Schaefgen.
In the past year, Schaefgen has been charged twice with reckless endangerment, once in 2008 for shooting his roommate and again in March for shooting a gun out of a window.
Dean of Students William Porter was unable to comment on whether Paige or Milligan would be punished by The University.
Paige is being held on $250,000 bond while Milligan's bond was set at $5,000.