Photo Courtesy of Victoria Bell

Hofstra’s Public Safety suspended one of its officers following the alleged physical assault of a Hofstra student, pending an investigation. 

The University responded in a statement, “While the facts of the incident are still under review, the Public Safety officer involved has been suspended and appropriate steps will be taken.”

Several students witnessed the incident. This reporter recorded the event on her cellphone. The following account is based on statements from Chinese international finance graduate student, Jiyong Zhang and eyewitnesses:

On Thursday, Feb. 13, at approximately 3 p.m., Public Safety approached Zhang and his four friends about smoking in a non-smoking area behind C.V. Starr Hall. Zhang said he was not smoking. Two of Zhang’s friends, who served as eyewitnesses, said the tone in Zhang’s response seemed to upset one of the Public Safety officers.

“When the issue is all settled, I just said, ‘Good job, man. Keep doing it.’ That’s all I said,” Zhang said. “The white guy came to me and asked for my ID. I failed to present my ID [because] I didn’t have it.” 

Zhang and the Public Safety officer then got into an altercation. As the altercation grew louder, the Public Safety officer slammed Zhang against the side of one of two Public Safety cars at the scene of the incident and immediately pushed him inside the backseat. “He started to push me into the car and he also punched me on my face,” Zhang said.

Zhang said he did not touch the officer prior to the officer pushing him. Zhang also said he was attacked solely based on his words. “I say it’s speech freedom country, so I can say whatever I like,” Zhang said.

“It was purely oral – like language,” said Baisen Jia, an eyewitness and Hofstra student. “I don’t see it as necessary of physical push to [Zhang]. And next time I see him, [Zhang] has a scar on his face.” 

Zhang was quickly escorted to Public Safety headquarters and given a citation. 

Once inside, Zhang said, “[Public Safety] threatened me to provide my information. All I gave them was my number and my name, but they keep threatening me.”

Public Safety issued Zhang a Student Conduct Code violation. He was charged with failure to comply with Public Safety.

The charge states that if Zhang does not schedule and keep an appointment with Dawn Marzella, the program coordinator for the Office of Community Standards at Hofstra, he will be charged with failure to comply, which entails a $100 fine and a waived opportunity for a hearing. Additionally, the Office of Community Standards will use evidence to determine whether he is guilty of the charge. If he is found responsible, proper disciplinary action will be enforced. 

Zhang scheduled an appointment for Tuesday, March 3, at 3:30 p.m.

Following the incident, Zhang went to the Student Health and Counseling Center for treatment. The health care providers diagnosed him with a small abrasion on his upper lip and provided him with ice. Zhang said that while the injury on his lip was visible, other injuries, such as being choked around his neck, were not.

“Based on my initial investigation, I have sent the case to Human Resources for an independent review of the incident,” said Director of Public Safety Karen O’Callaghan in an email. “I cannot comment further until their review is complete.” 

The University responded in the aforementioned statement, “Hofstra University and the Department of Public Safety are committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment in which all members of the campus community are treated with respect.”