Pete the Panther Shot!

After the attempted assassination of Pete the Panther at Chapman University's annual Playfair, students have come together in fierce support for the mascot.

"To think that can happen to any anthropomorphic animal... it's terrifying," said Kathy Wilkins. "He took a fuckin' bullet to the paw– to me, he's not just a panther: he's a man," said Brian Pomona.

Some have pointed out the convenient timing of the shooting. "With Struppa on the way out, there's a vacuum of power at Chapman. Pete might be angling to fill it, using a false shooting as a way to drum up sympathy among the masses. It's textbook populism– the Reichstag all over again," said Phi Tau Andy. Indeed, our Kumquat investigative team suspects foul play, especially after a Kevlar-lined bulletproof paw was found in a nearby trashcan.

However, Pete maintains that his wounded paw represents the state of Chapman under Struppa's leadership– his new "Paw-Up" campaign aims to become a symbol of resilience and resurgence for patriotic Chapman students. "Even with one paw, I'll keep fighting for Chapman's continued excellence and freedom," Pete proclaimed while striking a heroic pose at Commencement, "and also, I'm going to deport all liberal arts majors."