BY LILY REAVIS ’21
Early Sunday morning, multiple campus police officers, local South Hadley police and an ambulance were called to the Blanchard Community Center Great Room, where a person had reportedly been cut by a knife. These reports remain unconfirmed.
Several students witnessed the police presence outside of Blanchard.
“I was walking away from [Blanchard], past Porter, when an ambulance passed me,” Ella Giordano ’22 said. “Three police cars followed, and I could see the lights of another emergency vehicle approaching.”
Sunday, campus police stated that no one on campus was authorized to discuss the altercation and no statement was released until Monday morning.
The College’s statement was published online but was not sent to community members.
It read, “On November 3, at around 1:30 am, an altercation reportedly began between two guests attending an Association of Pan African Unity party held on the Mount Holyoke campus. As is policy for events of this size (a ticketed event that was capped at 200 attendees), a campus police officer and two crowd managers were in attendance. The officer on site requested additional support from campus police. Local South Hadley police and an ambulance were also called to the scene. While there are unconfirmed reports that one of the guests involved in the altercation may have been cut by their own knife, no major injuries were reported. Individuals were treated on the scene. No Mount Holyoke students were injured.”
The statement went on to explain that the armed individual is currently facing criminal charges and that the altercation is still under investigation.
“Possible refinements of policies and procedures may result. The College’s top priority is the safety of our students and their guests,” the statement said.
The College’s weapons policy currently operates in accordance with the Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269 Section 10J, which prohibits all weapons on campus with the exception of those carried by authorized law enforcement officers.
The Student Handbook states, “No person shall be permitted to carry firearms or other weapons, concealed or not concealed, with or without a concealed weapon permit, while on properties owned or controlled by the College or in the participation of a College-related course, activity or other business off campus.”
“Weapon” is defined as any “instrument that may be used to do bodily injury or damage to property,” and the policy states that items which are used as weapons, whether or not they fit the prescribed definition, are subject to seizure.
The policy concludes, “Violation of the regulations may result in administrative action from the College and/or prosecution under the appropriate state or federal laws.”
Sunday’s altercation has yet to be widely discussed on campus. The crime had not been entered into the College’s Crime and Fire log as of Wednesday. This is likely due to its status as an open investigation.
Monday morning, several students reported seeing blood splatter in the Great Room. The blood droplets spanned roughly three feet and were removed late Monday morning.
No members of the Association of Pan African Unity were available for comment.