An NYPD officer accidentally fired a single shot inside Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University during the removal of anti-Israel agitators on Tuesday night. The incident occurred as police were conducting an extensive search on the first floor of the building. The officer, equipped with a firearm and flashlight, discharged the weapon while attempting to access a barricaded area. Fortunately, the round did not hit anyone or cause any injuries, only striking a wall frame a few feet away.
The NYPD confirmed that the accidental discharge was not witnessed by anyone other than police personnel. An immediate investigation into the incident determined it to be accidental, with bodycam footage provided to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for review.
The gunfire took place as NYPD officers raided Hamilton Hall to remove anti-Israel protesters who had barricaded themselves inside for over 20 hours. Many of the protesters were identified as outside agitators rather than university students. Following a formal request for assistance from the university, authorities were able to intervene and remove the protesters from the campus.
According to NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, several universities in the city have requested NYPD presence on their campuses through mid-May. The crackdown at Columbia University resulted in the arrest of over 100 protesters, part of a larger trend of more than 2,000 individuals being arrested during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks.
