Oswego State University Police continues to investigate the incident in which an 18-year-old Oswego State freshman male was stabbed on Washington Boulevard, adjacent to the Shineman Center, early in the morning Oct. 16.
According to Oswego State’s Chief Communication Officer Wayne Westervelt, University Police has “increased police patrols both inside our buildings and around campus” as they continue to investigate the incident.
A NY-Alert was sent out to Oswego State students, faculty, staff and parents on Oct. 16 to report that a stabbing had occurred on campus.
According to the alert, the Oswego County 911 Center received a call of a fight in progress. Upon arrival, University Police officers discovered an 18-year-old freshman male had been stabbed four times in the shoulder. His name has not been released.
The victim was transported to Upstate Medial University Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The alert described the suspects as “four males all wearing dark clothing with hoodies pulled over their heads.” They drove away in a dark-colored, four-door Honda Civic driven by a female. They were last seen heading east down Washington Boulevard, toward the City of Oswego.
According to the alert, the incident may have stemmed from a dispute earlier in the night that occurred at the American Legion, located at 69 W. Bridge St, Oswego.
Later the same day, Oswego State President Deborah Stanley sent out a campus-wide announcement email to update the Oswego State community on the incident.
According to Stanley’s email, University Police Chief John Rossi did not believe that the campus was in any further danger, as the suspects were believed to be from outside the Oswego area and likely left the area, which was determined from UP’s initial investigation, according to Westervelt.
University Police dispatched additional officers following the incident to patrol the campus and its perimeters, Stanley said.
“As the investigation continues and we seek answers to this morning’s assault, I urge all members of our campus community to be supportive of one another,” Stanley said. “It is imperative to remember that our campus is home to all of our members from many different backgrounds, and by demonstrating our respect, concern and understanding for each other we live our best lives and help our campus stay safe and strong.”
At the time of publication, Stanley has not sent out any other communication in regards to the incident. According to Westervelt, there is no new information regarding the alleged fight that occurred at the American Legion.
“This type of assault is a rare occurrence on our campus; SUNY Oswego is historically a very safe environment for the more than 4,500 students who live on campus each year,” Westervelt said. “We take the safety of the college community very seriously and our officers work extremely hard in order to keep Oswego a very safe campus.”
