The New York Police Department said Thursday that the officer whose gun fired inside a Columbia University building this week accidentally fired the gun as police were clearing pro-Palestinian protesters from the campus.
No one was injured in Tuesday's shooting, and the bullet struck a wall frame several feet away, the NYPD said in a statement.Police are scheduled to hold a press conference about the incident at 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Police said the officer, who has not been identified, was approaching a barricade on the first floor of Hamilton Hall when he fired his gun, which had a flashlight attached. The shooting was recorded on the officer's body camera and was turned over to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Police had previously provided few details about the incident, other than confirming that a gun was fired on Tuesday, when dozens of officers attacked a campsite and demonstrators occupying the area. Demonstrators on the Columbia campus were removed from Hamilton Hall. It was the second time in two weeks that Colombian authorities have asked police to enter the Manhattan campus to remove protesters. The request divided the university community, drawing both praise and criticism from officials.
More than 2,000 people have been arrested during protests on campuses across the country. University officials said they were trying to balance protecting free speech with safety on campus. The protests, which took place at dozens of schools, have been mostly peaceful.
Columbia University had no choice but to call in police on Tuesday after talks between university officials and protesters broke down. announced the end of a tense 24-hour period on campus. Shortly after, some demonstrators left the encampment and took control of Hamilton Hall, a venue for student protests since the 1960s. Police arrested more than 100 people on campus and outside the school gates that night.
harubi meko Contributed to the report.