Update, 5:20 am: Dean Shollenberger has sent an email to all students confirming that Martha Corey-Ochoa, CC ’16, passed away last night. Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Update, 2:45 am: Dean Shollenberger has confirmed to Bwog that the student has passed away, minutes after an email with the same information was sent to the student body. The Dean’s full email is below. Dean Shollenberger clarified that the student fell from the fourteenth floor of John Jay, not the sixth, as previously reported.

The NYPD tells Bwog that “the investigation is still ongoing, but at this point, it looks like an apparent suicide.”

Dean Shollenberger said that Columbia will move forward with planned NSOP activities, but that the events scheduled for tomorrow morning have yet to be confirmed. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

Counseling services will be available to students until 3:30 am tonight in Furnald, Carman, Wallach, and John Jay, and these services will resume tomorrow morning at 9 am, in the CPS offices. All counseling hours will be structured as walk-in tomorrow.

Our thoughts are with all of those affected by this tragedy, and we ask that commenters use the space respectfully. We urge students to reach out and take advantage of the many counseling resources available, and to never underestimate the strength and kindness of those around you.

Update, 1:14 am: Tipster Alexandra P has informed us that students were let back into Hartley on the condition that they wouldn’t leave, and are now apparently locked-in until the morning.

Update, 12:36 am: Residents of John Jay are now being let back into the building.

Update, 12:32 am: Public Safety has told our reporter at the scene that they hope to let students back into the buildings in 10 to 15 minutes.

Around 11 pm tonight, an unidentified female fell from John Jay, according to eyewitnesses at the scene.

The victim landed on 114th Street. Bwog reporters at the scene spoke with eyewitnesses who by their account called 911 at 11:01 pm. These eyewitnesses have since been identified as Ryan Rodrigues, CC ’16, and Corey Hammond, CC ’16. Shortly afterward, the NYPD arrived. The first witnesses on the scene told Bwog reporters that paramedics appeared to be performing CPR, before the victim was transported to St. Luke’s in an ambulance. According to a Public Safety officer at the scene, the fall likely took place from the sixth fourteenth floor. Authorities could not yet confirm whether the victim is a student.

Bwog’s reporter at the scene says that Public Safety is not allowing any one to enter or exit John Jay, Hartley, or Wallach.

The scene at 114th Street

Dear students,
It is with deep regret that I write to inform you of a death earlier this evening of one of our students.  We are not releasing the name or any additional information at this time as the police investigation is still in progress and we are in the process of contacting the family.

Whenever there is a death such as this, we are all struck by a wide range of emotions and a deep sense of loss. Especially during this difficult time, please rely on one another, your family, and University offices for support.

I encourage you to seek guidance from professional staff by visiting or calling Counseling and Psychological Services (854-2878).  From 1:30 a.m. until 3:00 a.m., members of CPS and Residential Programs staff are available in the lounges of John Jay, Carman and Wallach.  Services will be available at CPS on the 8th floor of Lerner Hall starting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

In this time of great sadness, I know we are united in grieving the loss of a member of our community.

Kind regards,

Kevin G. Shollenberger