Calvin trio arraigned over 'pop bombs'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Despite a letter from Calvin College officials who "do not feel the need to press charges," three students were arraigned for a Friday incident on campus that involved pop bottle bombs.

Drew Sikkema, Don Mpindi and Nathaniel VanEck were charged with felonies.

In the letter addressed to the magistrate of 61st District Court, Vice President of Student Life Shirley Hoogstra said the college wants the three to attend class and "reside in their residence halls as they normally would."

The students immediately took responsibility and apologized, she added. The college will begin "a disciplinary proceeding against them," but asked that charges not be pressed.

A judge heeded the request to let the students return to campus and their studies, said Ross Leisman, the lawyer for the three men.

"I think everybody here that is involved at Calvin is lucky no one got hurt," Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth said. "They might've had a different tune if somebody had been injured. Fortunately, nobody was."

He is not "out to ruin these kids' lives," he said, but noted "a lot of police agencies expended a lot of manpower and overtime and effort to go out there to address this."

The three are scheduled to be back in court for their preliminary hearings April 22.

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Calvin letter supporting Sikkema, Mpindi, VanEck (pdf)