Jimmy Lai/HIGHLANDER

The student inside the Scotty costume, Wright Schroot, has been placed under psychiatric evaluation after brutally attacking spectators during UC Riverside’s baseball match against UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) on Friday, March 31. While Schroot was apprehended unscathed, seven students have been hospitalized with minor to major injuries.

“One minute he was dancing, the next he was absolutely feral,” recalled freshman James Halpert. Witnesses reported that Schroot ripped the head off his Scotty costume mid-dance routine before lunging into the stands and attacking everyone in sight. One student observed that Schroot was “practically foaming at the mouth.” Many described that the entire experience felt surreal and terrifying, as Schroot’s behavior was very similar to a wild, angry grizzly bear.

While Schroot was loose in the stands, the UCSC mascot, Sammy the Banana Slug, proceeded to lie down on his stomach and slither across the field. He too, was taken by psychiatric professionals, though there was not a struggle at all. He has not spoken since the incident, and was last seen slithering away from cameras as he left Riverside Asylum Sunday evening. He seemed to be a lifeless vessel and only ate leaves during his stay.

Many speculate that the mascots’ strange behavior could be attributed to the “Freaky Friday” phenomenon occurring across the nation, where people have been switching bodies with one another. If this is true, then Schroot’s case would be the first documented switch with an animal.

Spectators were evacuated during Schroot’s attack and the game was concluded. It is unclear whether it will be resumed at a later time.

It took the combined effort of firefighters and police officers to apprehend Schroot since he seemed to also exhibit inhuman strength. The struggle to contain him lasted almost an hour and resulted in injuries for officials. The school’s baseball field has been left in disarray, with the bleachers now requiring extensive repair.

It is unknown whether the victims will be pressing charges against Schroot. He is currently being detained and evaluated in Riverside Asylum. According to the nurses in the center, Schroot’s massive appetite is placing a strain on their resources. His nurse, Toby Henderson, elaborated, “He’s insatiable. As it is, he’s eating enough to feed 20 people. We don’t have the resources to provide for him in addition to our other patients. We don’t know how long we can keep him. We need to find a way to reverse his condition quickly.”

As it is, there is no apparent cause or cure for Schroot’s strange behavior. Many students are on high alert, as they worry that the ones close to them will also exhibit the “Freaky Friday” phenomenon. “Like, what if my boyfriend switches bodies with a serial killer? That’s terrifying!” expressed fourth-year political science major Pamela Beastly.