Many students at Masters were alarmed to hear the news that a man was stabbed in the chest on the Old Croton-Harmon Aqueduct (OCA) around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. According to News 12 Westchester, the incident happened just north of Walnut St. in Dobbs Ferry, and the suspect, who has not yet been identified, is still on the loose. Lohud.com, another local news source, reported that county authorities, including the Dobbs Ferry police, have since launched a manhunt to track down the criminal. News 12 Westchester also stated that the victim, who is in his 30’s but also unidentified, returned to his home which was close to the location of the incident, before calling for help and being taken to the Westchester Medical Center. Students at the Mercy College campus in Dobbs Ferry were advised to remain idle and Irvington public schools were put on lockdown and students were not allowed to walk home.

For Masters students, this attack had immediate impacts. The Pittsburgh Library was off-limits for the evening, a measure taken to keep boarding students contained in the dorms.

 Students who commute by train were unquestionably in danger, as most walk down Walnut St. to get to the Dobbs Ferry train station.“I know a lot of people walk home or to the train, so if they were unaware of the incident, it definitely could’ve been dangerous,” junior Sophia Forstmann said, “This also reminds us that we don’t live in a bubble, and that scary things can happen around us at any time.” Forstmann lives in Irvington and very close to Mercy College.

On campus, an additional two security guards were alert for the suspect at large. AJ Daniels, a senior, appreciated the additional protection, “I was happy that faculty [and staff] were aware of what was going on, and that they were taking measures to keep us safe. I know security was probably working a little harder that day.”