VOL 94 : 04 September 7th, 2016 torchonline.com
The independent student newspaper of St. John’s University
St. John’s Student killed at Carnival
Targeting Safety
ANGELICA ACEVEDO News Editor
On Monday morning, Tiarah Poyau, a student at St. John’s University, was fatally shot in the face during the J’Ouvert Carnival, according to the New York Police Department. Several news outlets reported that Poyau and her friends were at the carnival celebrating West Indian and Caribbean heritage when the celebration took a turn for the worse. According to police, the shooting took place at 4:15 a.m. on Franklin Ave. and Empire Blvd in Brooklyn. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to the incident and immediately transported her to the Kings County Hospital where police say she was pronounced dead. On Tuesday, NYPD arrested the suspected gunman, Regenald Moise. Moise, 20 years old, was arrested at 15 Westminster Road in Brooklyn Avenue. Moise is now facing charges for second degree murder, criminal possession of weapon to the second degree and reckless endangerment. However, NYPD Chief Patrick Conrey said investigators suspect Poyau was not the intended target. A Brooklyn resident, Poyau was an aspiring Certified Public Accountant, pursuing a dual degree B.S./M.S. in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, according to a statement released by the University on Monday night. “She had a bright future ahead of her and was taken much too soon,” said the statement from President Gempesaw, “The entire University community sends our thoughts and prayers to the Poyau family during this difficult time.” The University released another statement Tuesday morning regarding Grief Counseling for those who’ve been affected by Poyau’s untimely passing. According to the University’s statement, Grief Counseling was offered yesterday at the Center for Counseling and Consultation at the D’Angelo Center. You may also visit stjohns.edu/sjuresponds in order to get more resources for students, faculty and families who need help grieving. On LinkedIn, Poyau expressed that studying abroad in Paris, Rome and Seville was one of her greatest achievements. She wrote, “Apart from being able to get away for a while, I was given the opportunity to push my limits and be responsible for my personal growth and development.” Poyau was a member of Beta Alpha Psi and served as the Fundraising Chair in 2014-15 and as Secretary for Fall 2015, according to a statement released by them. “She was a classmate and a friend for many of us,” said the statement from Beta Alpha Psi , “Our hearts and prayers are with her family and loved ones during this difficult time.” In the same night, a 17-year-old boy was shot and murdered, a 72-year-old woman was shot in the arm, four other people were injured in three different shootings and someone was stabbed, according to Pix11 News. In a press conference held Monday afternoon about the violence-stricken night, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “We never accept violence in our midst. Last night there was violence that was fundamentally unacceptable and that we will continue to assess more forcefully.”
New Developments from Public Safety TORCH PHOTO/ BRYANT RODRIGUEZ
SUZANNE CIECHALSKI Editor-in-Chief Ramping up security: Public Safety introduces new tactics to keep students safe in the aftermath of last semester’s shooting incident in Hollis Hall, an on-campus residence building. At St. John’s public safety is of utmost importance. But even with a highly trained staff, low crime statistics and stringent regulations, incidents can occur. Returning students might remember how last May the University community was shaken when a shot was fired inside of Hollis as three men attempted to burglarize students in their dorm room. A prompt response by the Office of Public Safety and the New York Police Department quickly led to the arrest of the perpetrators. But now, Vice President of Public Safety, Tom Lawrence, says his staff has revamped many of its safety guidelines and procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring. “We think we’re top-notch to begin with, but we’re always reviewing our policies and procedures continually,” Lawrence said in an interview with the Torch last week. According to him, Public Safety, along with several departments and administrators within St. John’s, from Student Affairs to President Gempesaw, have been working to improve security measures since last semester’s incident. One of the newest sets of guidelines for students includes “Active Shooter Training,” something that SJU employees already undergo.
“This was something that we thought was very important; that our students get it, our customers, our biggest population, receive it, and working closely with Dr. [Kathryn] Hutchinson, we were able to make it happen,” Lawrence said. According to him, all resident students are now required to undergo this training, along with the regularly scheduled fire safety seminar at the beginning of the fall semester. He said freshmen have already undergone the training and that upperclassmen will begin to receive the training at floor meetings, which began this week. Active Shooter Training encompasses knowing escape routes, where and how to hide, and how to be prepared to fight if an active shooter is on campus. Students also learn the meaning behind terms used during emergency correspondences such as “Shelter in Place” and “Hide and Fight.” During this training, students are informed about whom they should notify in the case of an emergency, such as 911 and Public Safety. They are then shown how to make the call and told how students themselves are notified. According to Lawrence, the University worked this past summer to upgrade its communication system, speeding up the time it takes for students to receive notifications regarding emergencies. “We’ve upgraded [the notification] system so that the calls now come in half the time that they used to come in,” he said Continued on page 3
Entertainment
Features
News
Electrifying displays at EZOO
Friends remember deceased student
Mother Teresa reaches Sainthood
Tearing down the Wall of Prejudice
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Opinion