An intruder entered the first floor of the Bronfman Center on Tuesday after trespassing into Rubin Hall, and was then arrested by the New York City Police Department, according to university spokesperson John Beckman.
The individual initially entered Rubin Hall, which is currently undergoing renovations and not being used to house students, and was then caught by a guard. After being escorted from the building, the intruder entered the first floor of the Bronfman Center, sat down and started yelling.
Beckman said that two Campus Safety officers removed the intruder from the Bronfman Center, but the individual remained near the entrance. Campus Safety then called the NYPD, and the intruder was arrested by police.
“Those inside the building were instructed not to leave, and the police were called by Campus Safety,” Beckman told WSN. “We’re relieved to report that everyone in the building is safe and no one was physically harmed.”
Beckman did not specify whether the individual was affiliated with the university or what time the intrusions took place.
Sophomore Aasia Gabbour, who works as an engagement intern at the Bronfman Center, said she did not see the intruder despite being in the building at the time of the incident. She said she thinks the trespass occurred between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., but only found out about the situation when she heard another student discussing it at around 4 p.m. Gabbour said she has not received any communication from the university about the incident.
“I was really surprised and thought, ‘wow, this is crazy’ because I was literally in the building when it happened,” Gabbour said. “I remember last year there was a similar situation in Third North with an intruder and then another series of intrusions that happened not that long after. It is crazy to hear that a similar thing is happening again.”
On Monday, an intruder unaffiliated with the university entered a dorm room at Third Avenue North residence hall and was also seen yelling unclothed in the courtyard of the dormitory. The individual was then escorted out from the building and taken to a local hospital.
Last November, a series of intrusions took place across NYU residence halls, including Third North, Alumni Hall, Coral Tower and Lafayette Hall. Over a one-week period in April 2022, an intruder entered Rubin Hall multiple times and spent two nights in the dorm, according to students.
Following the incidents, former NYU president Andrew Hamilton ordered a full-scale review of the safety protocols and procedures used in university residence halls. Due to the investigation, the Department of Campus Safety announced it would place new surveillance cameras across the housing system and that it had posted additional security guards at NYU dorms. The review also led to a planned redesign of the lobby area at Rubin Hall.
Contact Adrianna Nehme at [email protected].
