The fifth floor of the Behavioral and Social Sciences building, where the University Police Department deployed a taser against a homeless former student who is believed to have been sleeping on campus.

A former Humboldt State student was tasered and arrested on the fifth floor of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building today around 1 p.m.

According to UPD Chief Donn Peterson, former philosophy major Omari Kenneth Howard was camping out in the BSS building when he was approached by Sergeant John Packer and Officer Andy Martin.

The situation turned physical when the responding officers attempted to detain Howard after he refused to produce his California state ID.

“He had a visible California ID, but he closed his wallet and stopped cooperating,” Peterson said. “As soon as the officers tried to handcuff him, he began struggling and resisting. That resulted in the use of the electrical weapon.”

The UPD received a call that Howard, 29, was living in the BSS building and according to his own statement, was homeless. However, it is unknown how long he was living on campus.

HSU philosophy professor John W. Powell recalled teaching Howard several years ago, but was unsure if he ever officially graduated.

“He would be pretty formidable if he was resisting arrest,” Powell said. “He was close to graduating and then he disappeared for a while. I would expect him to be very frustrated if he was homeless because he is very bright.”

Howard’s Facebook profile shows multiple photos the suspect performing yoga poses, and he appeared to be in good physical shape. He was also involved with HSU theatre productions and his profile listed many quotes from celebrities and movie personalities.

Peterson said it was unfortunate that the encounter resulted in the suspect being tasered, but noted that the weapon was used to avoid a physical fight.

“Police officers are past the point of fighting people,” Peterson said. “You make an effort to obtain compliance before you get into a violent encounter and [the taser] is a tool to avoid that.”

Peterson said that vagrants sleeping on campus property is a fairly common occurrence that usually doesn’t result in an arrest. “You spend anytime on campus, and you’ll see them in the woods, around campus and in the buildings,” he said.

Howard was booked into the Humboldt County Jail and, a few hours later, released on his own recognizance.