Officer fired gun while clearing protestors at Columbia, according to prosecutors
ByJessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Columbia University Issued Deadline For Gaza Encampment To Vacate Campus NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 30: Student protesters demonstrate at the entrance gates of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Photo by Mary Altaffer-Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
ByJessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
NEW YORK — A spokesperson with District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed to The Associated Press that a police officer working on clearing protestors at the university fired his weapon inside of the hallways.
Authorities in New York City said that 32 of 112 people who were arrested at Columbia University “were not affiliated with the university, according to the AP.
Mayor Eric Adams blamed the escalated protests on the “outside agitators,” the AP reported.
“We will not be a city of lawlessness, and we will not allow our youth to be influenced by those who have no goal other than spreading hate and wreaking havoc on our city,” Adams said, according to the AP.
About 46 people who were taken in custody have been charged with trespassing and released pending the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, the AP reported.
CNN and the AP both reached out to the New York Police Department for comment but have not yet heard back.
Students at colleges nationwide have staged protests since war broke out between Israel and Gaza in October.
Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — while Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the AP. Israel and its supporters have attacked the protests as antisemitic while its detractors have accused Israel of using the label to silence opposition, the news agency reported.
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Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Members of the NYPD detain protesters from the pro-Palestinian protest encampment and Hamilton Hall where demonstrators barricaded themselves inside on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Police arrested nearly 100 people as they cleared the university of demonstrators who were issued a notice to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. University President Minouche Shafik has requested the NYPD maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian supporters climb a fence during demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement attempts to bring an end to pro-Palestinian protest encampments. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian supporters confront police during demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A police bus carries detained protesters from the pro-Palestinian protest encampment and Hamilton Hall where demonstrators barricaded themselves inside on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Police arrested nearly 100 people as they cleared the university of demonstrators who were issued a notice to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. University President Minouche Shafik has requested the NYPD maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police arrest protesters during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police look on as pro-Palestinian supporters hold demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement attempts to bring an end to pro-Palestinian protest encampments. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Benches and trash bins block the entrance to Hamilton Hall where some student protesters camped on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building at Colombia University, on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A demonstrator breaks the windows of the front door of the building in order to secure a chain around it to prevent authorities from entering as demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building at Colombia University, on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Chairs, desks and barricades are used to block the doors as demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment on Columbia's Campus barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student movements, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Student protesters camp near the entrance to Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Supporters of Israel protest beside a pro-Palestinian group outside of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A student protester waves a Palestinian flag from a balcony of Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A student protester parades a Palestinian flag outside the entrance to Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Student protesters camp on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police arrest protesters during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Men wave an Israeli flag as pro-Palestinian supporters continue to demonstrate from a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Columbia University issued a notice to the protesters asking them to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A demonstrator at the encampment established in support of Palestinians in Gaza waves the Palestinian flag at Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched as a 2 p.m. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university came and went. The students were given a suspension warning if they did not meet the deadline. Students at Columbia were the first from an elite college to erect an encampment, demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold a short rally after marching around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" in the West Lawn of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Demonstrators marched at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. Columbia was the first elite college to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A man waves an Israeli flag as pro-Palestinian supporters continue to demonstrate from a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Columbia University issued a notice to the protesters asking them to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A protestor wears the university's disciplinary notice covered over by support for Palestinians in Gaza at Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched as a 2 p.m. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university came and went. The students were warned of suspension if they did not meet the deadline. Students at Columbia were the first from an elite college to erect an encampment, demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Columbia faculty members protect students in the Pro-Palestinian "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" in the West Lawn of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia was the first elite college to erect an encampment in support of Palestine with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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