Student robbed during AHORA! weekend dance
A robbery occurred on campus during the AHORA! Dance in the Levin Ballroom at midnight on Saturday. A student attending the dance was robbed in the restroom, Director of Public Safety Edward Callahan wrote in a campuswide email last Sunday.
Callahan notified the campus community at noon on Sunday after he was aware of the incident, requesting information from students. He wrote in his email that "The victim said an object was pressed against his back and money and other items were taken from his wallet."
According to the email, the identities of the perpetrators have not been identified.
The name of the student who was robbed has not been released.
Although Callahan did not mention the details of the object that was thrust into the students' back, the University Police Log states that the student reported that "two males poked an object into his back."
Callahan wrote in an email to the Justice that he was notified of this event early Sunday morning by his employees in the Department of Public Safety who handled the incident.
"At approximately 2 AM., I received an email from the Night Brandeis Police Lieutenant who indicated the incident was under investigation and possible suspects were being interviewed," he wrote.
The dance, according to wherevent.com, was titled, "AHORA!: Blaze Reggaeton vs. Reggae."
It was sponsored by AHORA!, a Hispanic/Latino awareness group and the Nu Chapter of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity of Boston University and took place in Levin Ballroom from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Callahan said there was an enhanced security presence at the event.
"It appears that very detailed security was in place for the dance," said Callahan.
Callahan provided the same response when asked about future security measures on campus.
Gabby Castellanos '13, the president of AHORA!, said in an interview with the Justice that she only knows that the incident happened in the bathroom, and the student assaulted felt something sharp in his back. Castellanos noted, however, that the event had metal detectors, which she believes eliminates the possibility that the object was a weapon.
"We had metal detectors, therefore I know it wasn't a weapon—we had a lot of security," she said.
Castellanos has not had subsequent contact with the student who was robbed and only knew the incident occurred because she saw a number of police officers and asked a University Police officer what had happened.
Although Callahan wrote that "the events of the night in question are under review," he emphasized that the overall safety of the campus was not at stake.
"It appeared that there was no imminent threat to the Brandeis Community," he wrote.
Callahan wrote that the investigation is ongoing.
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