Like many Saturday nights in Schenectady, many Unionites found themselves at an off-campus fraternity house* for a party on the evening of May 10th. Sometime around one in the morning, the Schenectady Police appeared. Many in attendance assumed this was the police coming to shut the party down, but nothing happened, and the party continued. Later in the night, when students were leaving, many reported being asked for statements by campus safety and some by the police. Specifically, brothers and others close to the fraternity were questioned. Izzy Petersen ‘27 described seeing multiple police cars on the scene, going so far as to say, “they were blocking off the streets.”
The following version of events was compiled from and supported by several individuals involved with the fraternity and the event.
First, a small group of adolescents approached the entrance to the backyard of the fraternity house. As they attempted to enter, they were questioned by the brothers of the fraternity, who did not recognize the adolescents. After being denied entry, one of the adolescents appeared to have flashed a gun. They attempted to gain entry again without becoming violent. In the meantime, several brothers contacted the police. The group of adolescents left the driveway, and subsequently, the surrounding area. The police were informed of the adolescents’ departure, and remained on the scene for over an hour.
Thankfully, nobody was harmed, and it is still unconfirmed if the gun was loaded or even genuine. However, these events are a sobering reminder of the frequency of violence on and around college campuses. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2021, there were 2,100 aggravated assaults on a college campus. Union was lucky not to add to this statistic on Saturday – but the threat should be enough to warn the campus community.
*- Concordiensis is not naming the fraternity or house as requested by current fraternity brothers.
