2 juveniles identified in Kansas college water cooler tampering incident

LINDSBORG, Kan. (KWCH) - The Lindsborg Police Department said two male juveniles have been identified as being involved in the water cooler tampering incident at Bethany College.

Kansas Wesleyan University contacted police about a foreign substance that was found in their baseball team’s water cooler while playing a doubleheader at Bethany College on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, Bethany College contacted the police department to report the same incident.

A police report was filed and both colleges agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

“This incident generated wide-reaching media interest after initial comments on social media claimed that a college baseball program deliberately contaminated an opponent’s water cooler,” said the police department. “Allegations were made that the foreign substance found in the water of KWU’s cooler was paint thinner.”

Police said that based on information obtained through the investigation, the substance was actually determined to be line paint used on the field and to touch up bases.

Lindsborg police said they conducted over 60 interviews so far, collected multiple pieces of evidence, photographed the scene, and followed various leads. It has been determined that no one associated with either college was responsible for tampering with the water cooler.

Though the investigation is active and ongoing.

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