Marist College

Marist College Confirms Parent Killed in Courtyard Marriott Shooting, Shares Update

The person killed in the gunfire in the lobby of Courtyard at Marriott Poughkeepsie

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The president of Marist College in Poughkeepsie confirmed the person killed in a shooting a day ago at the Courtyard at Marriott hotel, about a 10-minute drive from campus, was the parent of a student in town to celebrate Family Weekend.

President Kevin Weinman did not identify the victim in an email update to the college community -- and neither did law enforcement at a Monday afternoon press conference -- but said dozens of Marist families were at the hotel Sunday when gunfire erupted and SWAT teams descended on the building.

Here's Weinman's letter to Marist students, faculty and families:


Dear Marist Community,

I am writing to share additional information about the tragic fatal shooting of the parent of a Marist student this morning at an area hotel. We grieve with the student and their family and will do everything we can to support them. 

Subsequent to Director of Security Blaisdell's update at 1:30 P.M., the Town of Poughkeepsie Police released additional information, including that there is currently no active threat to the public, anyone at Marist College or any other school in the Town of Poughkeepsie. They noted that they have conducted a thorough search of the hotel, and that two suspects are in custody. We are grateful for their continuing focus on our community's safety and for keeping the community informed through regular updates, which you can find on their Facebook page. 

Dozens of Marist families were evacuated from the hotel by authorities and waited on campus for a number of hours before being allowed to return and retrieve their belongings. My thanks to the many members of the Marist staff who supported them during this time. 

Although there is no indication of an elevated threat, the Marist Office of Safety and Security works 24-7 to protect the safety of our campus, which is our highest priority.

This is a trying and traumatic time for the Marist community. I encourage anyone who needs assistance to access the variety of campus resources we have available. Counseling Services, Campus Ministry and other support from Student Affairs are available for all Marist students in need of help. Resources are available to all Marist employees via the Employee Assistance Program.

Please continue to look out for yourself and one another as we cope with this tragedy. 

Sincerely, Kevin C. Weinman
President


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