After a man with a knife allegedly threatened a woman in a laboratory in Stinson-Remick Hall of Engineering on Monday, Notre Dame has been reportedly conducting a review of its policies and procedures “to ensure buildings and spaces across campus remain safe and secure.”
According to an emailed crime alert to the University community on Monday, the man with a knife instructed the woman to close the windows before another person entered the room, at which point the man concealed the knife and asked for the restroom before departing.
A suspect, Alan Patrick Arceneaux, 37, was arrested by the Notre Dame Police Department Monday afternoon and was booked into St. Joseph County Jail by Monday evening. He has been charged with intimidation and threat to commit a forcible felony, along with criminal confinement, committed while armed with a deadly weapon.
Most laboratories on campus, including those in Stinson-Remick Hall, have door locks with ID swipe access granted only to those who work in them.
The University declined to comment whether the laboratory that the man with a knife entered was locked or how he was able to gain entry.
Doors to University laboratories are occasionally left ajar, though the University discourages this practice.
“[C]ampus safety is a collaborative endeavor, involving the best efforts of those who call Notre Dame home. That is why we encourage students, faculty and staff to observe best practices when it comes to personal safety and security. This includes utilizing door locks when available, ensuring secure doors are not propped open, and reporting suspicious persons or activity to the appropriate law enforcement agency as quickly as possible. Because public safety affects and involves the whole community, we all have a role to play,” a University spokesperson said in a statement to The Observer.
The University did not indicate it would limit public access to campus more broadly, however.
“The University of Notre Dame is an open campus, and we welcome visitors. At the same time, we are committed to promoting a safe campus environment for all,” the spokesperson wrote.
University officials decided to restrict access to campus buildings to authorized card holders only for a brief period on Monday due to the incident.
However, some members of the University community with authorization to access campus buildings appeared to be locked out as a result of the restriction.
“We are aware of implementation issues around this decision and are looking into it as part of our standard review process,” the spokesperson wrote.
