A police officer accidentally discharged a firearm on the Columbia University campus while clearing pro-Palestinian protesters from a building on Tuesday, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD). Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the bullet was discovered lodged in a nearby wall.
City officials have stated that the incident is under investigation. This comes after 112 protesters were arrested earlier in the week following a request from college leaders to clear the Manhattan campus, a move that has stirred controversy within the school community.
The NYPD addressed the issue in a press conference on Friday, responding to criticism for not initially disclosing the incident, which occurred three days prior. Sergeant Tarik Sheppard, an NYPD spokesperson, explained that accidental firearm discharges are not uncommon, averaging about eight per year. However, the department had not received specific inquiries about this incident until now.
According to the NYPD, an unnamed Emergency Service Unit officer was using a firearm with a flashlight attachment to illuminate a barricade inside Hamilton Hall, which protesters had occupied despite orders to disperse. During this process, a single shot was fired into a nearby wall. The NYPD conducted an immediate investigation, concluding that it was an accidental discharge. Fortunately, no students were in the vicinity at the time of the incident.
The NYPD did not publicly disclose the gunshot or its internal investigation until The City, a local news organization, reported on the matter.