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A Syracuse University student was arrested in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management Tuesday afternoon, members of the university’s administration wrote in a campus-wide email Tuesday night.

The email — sent by Senior Vice President Allen Groves, Vice President Cerri Banks and Dean of Students Rob Hradsky — stated that the Department of Public Safety was contacted with multiple reports of physical assault inside the school’s building.

Officers immediately responded and identified the student, according to the email. The officers determined it was necessary to physically remove the student from the classroom as they reportedly would not leave the classroom voluntarily.

The student was later charged with physical assault and resisting arrest, the email said.

A video of the arrest obtained by The Daily Orange showed a Black student on the ground as officers tried to handcuff them.

While the student was on the ground, the student continuously yelled that they could not breathe, and they also coughed and wheezed. DPS officers, around a minute into the four-minute video, took the student’s mask off. After handcuffing the student, the officers also turned the student on their side.

A student in the background told officers that they believed the student being arrested had an anxiety condition.

“I need y’all to chill,” the student in the background said to the officers.

While the student was on the ground, an officer removed a black object from what appeared to be the student’s right pocket. The officer, after taking the object, said “I got a knife.”

Members of DPS then repeatedly attempted to help the student to their feet. The student appeared to have difficulty standing. The officers helped the student to their feet and attempted to walk them out of the classroom. The student appeared to struggle to stay on their feet, collapsing once on the way out of the classroom.

After taking the student out of the classroom, a DPS officer asked the suspect if they had anxiety. The student appeared to nod in response.

The officer responded saying that medical assistance was coming and proceeded to tell the student being arrested to take deep breaths as the officers walked the student out of the building.

“We recognize that today’s events are deeply upsetting for many in our community, especially those who witnessed the initial assault and the subsequent apprehension,” the administrators wrote in the campus-wide email.

The email provided a list of resources to contact. Support services at the Barnes Center at The Arch can be reached by calling 315-443-8000. The Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services can be contacted at 315-443-4018 and [email protected]. The Center for International Services can be reached at 315-443-2457 and [email protected]. Students can also contact Multicultural Affairs at 315-443-0228 and [email protected]. Students can also contact Student Outreach and Retention at 315-443-4357 and [email protected].

Faculty and staff can contact trained clinicians through the university’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at 800-437-0911, the email said. All campus community members can contact Hendricks Chapel at 315-443-2901.

“Please know that we take these matters very seriously, and will ensure that fairness and due process are afforded to all impacted by today’s events,” the email concluded.

Published on February 9, 2022 at 12:19 am

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