Message from Chief Department of Public Safety Bobby Maldonado

The following message is from Department of Public Safety Chief Bobby Maldonado:

Last night around 11 p.m., a shooting occurred in the 600 block of Walnut Avenue, near the Syracuse University campus. The Syracuse Police Department was on the scene when the incident occurred and there was no active threat to the University community.

Because there was no active threat, the Orange Alert system was not activated. As the chief of public safety at Syracuse, I determined that this was appropriate and consistent with protocol. An Orange Alert is only utilized in situations in which there is an immediate threat of physical harm to members of the campus community.

In this situation, there was no ongoing threat to the campus and the incident began and ended within minutes. Our Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers arrived minutes later. Later in the evening, DPS issued a campuswide email reiterating that there was no threat to the campus from the incident. To learn more about our Orange Alert system, please visit our website. There, you can also learn how to review and modify your contact information.

However, I do recognize that the proximity of the incident to our campus is concerning. As DPS chief, my main priority is, and always will be, the safety and well-being of each member of our campus community.

Last night’s events were unsettling, and I want to remind you that a variety of counseling services are available. Students can access counseling support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the Counseling Center at 315.443.4715. Additional services are also provided by the Office of Student Assistance, Monday through Friday, by calling 315.443.4357. For faculty and staff, assistance is available through Carebridge, the University’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program. Trained clinicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be reached at 800.437.0911.