(WXYZ) – Just hours after Michigan State University defeated the University of Michigan, a group of college students in East Lansing gushed around a car, screaming and cheering as they kicked out the windows and hit the hood.
This red 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis, now added together, belonged to the grandmother of the University of Michigan student Jack Borchanian.
“It’s not a fancy car, but it definitely has some value in my family,” said Borchanian. “It was really unfortunate that it turned out like this.”
Borchanian is a junior from Northville and, like his older sister and cousins, had the honor of driving Grandma’s Mercury in college.
He drove it to East Lansing for the weekend and parked the car in front of a friends house where the crowd would find it.
“We stepped on the car, threw things on it and a couple of guys turned it and broke the windows and everything,” said Borchanian. “Really disgusting stuff.”
Borchanian was out with his friends when it happened. He later saw the videos on social media.
Jack Borchanian
A photo of Jack Borchanian’s car that was damaged in East Lansing.
All day after the game, students and fans in East Lansing set dozens of fires and even moved another car. Borchanian isn’t sure why his car was targeted, but says it had a U of M bumper sticker.
“I can’t draw any conclusions but that could be a reason why it happened,” he said.
In the days that followed, Borchanian launched a GoFundMe account. The site spread beyond family and friends and reached random MSU fans and alumni, all of whom gave their support with comments.
“People I knew and didn’t know donated and spread the word, it really blew up pretty quickly,” said Borchanian.
In less than five days, these donors raised enough money to cover the cost of the car and even the towing fee.
Borchanian is hoping for the future, his co-workers will think twice before wrecking someone’s car. But he’s happy that other Spartan fans have risen.
“It was really important to see such support from the Spartan community, I’m really grateful,” said Borchanian. “It just really shows what Michigan State University stands for, I think. They don’t tolerate this behavior, it’s not something they glorify.”
East Lansing Police are still searching for the people who destroyed the car. If you recognize someone in the video or if you have any information, contact Detective Lt. Scot Sexton at 517-319-6916 or [email protected].
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