Signs are posted around Mirror Lake, which was drained on Nov. 10, 2018, warning students not to enter the lake basin. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Managing Editor for Multimedia
University Police cited two people — one of whom is a current Ohio State student — for criminal trespassing in Mirror Lake on Dec. 25 after a video posted on social media depicted part of the incident, university spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email.
The incident took place Christmas Day around 11:30 p.m., and a police investigation determined that the two males entered the water despite signs posted in the area that swimming and wading was not permitted in the lake, Hedman said.
“OSUPD reminds everyone that Mirror Lake is not intended or approved for recreational use of any kind at any time,” Hedman said. “Entering the lake, or empty lake basin, is both destructive and hazardous and is considered criminal trespassing. The safety of our campus community remains our top priority.”
Hedman said the video was found on Instagram.
The video, which was posted on a personal Instagram account and reposted on sports and pop culture blog Barstool Ohio State’s Instagram story, shows one of the men running into Mirror Lake after saying, “Go OSU. Beat Clemson.” As of Dec. 27, the video had 1,098 views.
In November 2018, two Ohio State students received summonses to appear in court from University Police after a video was posted online showing the students running into Mirror Lake, Hedman said in a statement at the time.
The video showed two girls running into the lake that was relatively dry with only a few puddles of rainwater as another student watched from the side of the empty basin. As of Dec. 27, it had more than 56,000 views.
Hedman did not specify how the two girls were identified, but said the police “began an investigation” after becoming aware of the incident from Barstool Ohio State’s social media post.
University Police posted information on its website regarding the draining of Mirror Lake Nov. 22 prior to the Ohio State-Michigan football game.
The website states that draining Mirror Lake is in line with the university’s mission to end Mirror Lake Jump, a Michigan Week tradition that the Undergraduate Student Government voted to end in 2015 after a student died of head and neck injuries after diving into the lake.
“Entering the lake, or empty lake basin, is both destructive and hazardous and is considered criminal trespassing,” the website reads. “The Ohio State University Police Division is continuing to monitor the area, and public safety officials have discretion to determine appropriate enforcement action.”
