By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
A University of Kentucky student was arrested and faces several criminal charges after an online video shows her using racial slurs and physically attacking a student employee who was working the front desk over the weekend.
Video posted online shows the woman, identified by the school as Sophia Rosing, using racial epithets and assaulting the other student in the lobby of Boyd Hall, early Sunday morning.
Sophia Rosing (Photo from Kentucky Today)
WLEX-TV in Lexington reports that according to Rosing’s arrest citation, she said that she has “lots of money” and gets “special treatment.” When an officer told her to sit back in a chair, she kicked the officer and bit his hand, according to the citation.
WCPO-TV in Cincinnati says Rosing is from Fort Mitchell in northern Kentucky and that she graduated from Beechwood High School in 2019, according to the public portion of a Facebook page.
WDKY-TV in Lexington reports Rosing faces:
• Public intoxication.
• Third-degree assault – involving a police officer.
• Fourth-degree assault – no visible injury to the other student.
• Second-degree disorderly conduct.
All the charges are misdemeanors, except the assault charge, which is a Class D felony carrying a possible 1-5 years in prison, if convicted.
After learning of the attack, UK President Eli Capilouto sent a letter to the entire campus community. It said in part: “From my view of a video of the incident, the student worker acted with professionalism, restraint and discretion.
“UK Police arrested the perpetrator, who faces criminal charges, and the investigation is ongoing. Our Office of Student Conduct also is conducting an immediate review, and our Student Success teams are reaching out to the student victims who were subject to this behavior to offer support.
“To be clear: we condemn this behavior and will not tolerate it under any circumstance. The safety and well-being of our community has been — and will continue to be — our top priority.”
Capilouto also said: “The video images I have seen do not honor our responsibilities to each other. They reflect violence, which is never acceptable, and a denial of the humanity of members of our community. They do not reflect civil discourse. They are deeply antithetical to what we are and what we always want to be as a community.”
