BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | A 19-year-old N.Y.U. student reportedly jumped to his death from the roof of the university’s Third North Residence Hall early on the morning of Mon., Jan. 27.
It was the day before the start of spring semester classes.
The unidentified freshman fell 15 stories from the top of 75 Third Ave., at E. 11th St. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A fire alarm reportedly went off around the same time the man plunged off the roof. The building was evacuated around 3:15 a.m.
New York University has been plagued by a number of high-profile student suicides during the past decade. Three students dove to their deaths in the atrium of the university’s Philip Johnson-designed Bobst Library — two in 2003 and one in 2009.
In 2012, to prevent further tragedies, N.Y.U. completely sealed off Bobst’s atrium with an artistic, gold, scrim-like barrier.
In the wake of Monday’s fatality, N.Y.U. issued the following statement:
“It is with great sorrow that we report that a freshman was found in an interior courtyard in the residence hall where he lived. It appears…his death occurred as a result of a fall; police and the university are looking into events preceding the discovery of the body in order to determine the cause and nature of his death.
“The university expresses its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of this young man; they are in our hearts and our prayers this morning.”
The statement added that, following the student’s death, the university has had crisis counselors at the residence to provide support for students and staff. N.Y.U. also has a 24/7 mental health and crisis intervention program — the Wellness Exchange — the statement noted, adding it’s one of the best such programs at any university.
N.Y.U. noted that it doesn’t release the names of students in these sort of cases.
