Features

Sather Gate suicide 

A 21-year-old UC student took his own life early Thursday morning by jumping from the roof of the Sather Gate Garage.  

Police discovered the student in a small courtyard inside the parking structure after a caller reported seeing a body there around 5:30 a.m.  

According to police, the student’s backpack, sweatshirt and keys were found near the edge of the sixth floor roof of the parking structure. Police said the student left numerous letters to friends and family members explaining that he had intended to end his life. 

Robbery on Acton 

A 47-year-old Pleasant Hill man was walking north on Acton Street near Oregon Street just before midnight when a man walking in the opposite direction suddenly grabbed his shirt, produced a large knife and said “break yourself,” which is a common street term meaning don’t resist and hand over your valuables.  

The victim began to wrestle with the suspect and attempted to grab the knife, according to police. The victim then threw some cash to the ground, which the suspect picked up and fled.  

The victim went to the home of a friend who lives nearby and was driven to Alta Bates Hospital where he was treated for cuts to his hand, shoulder and chest. 

Hashish? 

On Wednesday about 6 p.m., a Berkeley resident from the 1600 block of Tacoma Street called police and said she had received two envelopes in the mail from Pakistan.  

She called police after opening one of the envelopes and finding a substance she believed was hashish. When officers arrived they noted that the address was correct on the envelopes but the addressee was not. The return address was that of a doctor in Islamabad, Pakistan. 

They further examined the contents of the opened envelope and discovered a flat, brownish green substance that looked like hashish but had no distinguishing odor.  

Following potential terrorist protocol, the officer sealed the envelopes and took them to a nearby fire station. It remained unclear what the exact nature of the substance was.