Boston College students evacuated Walsh Hall twice on Sunday morning following alarms at approximately 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. Both alarms were triggered by Michael Sorkin, CSOM ’21, who was arrested hours after damaging property in Walsh Hall; vandalizing Welch Hall, where he wrote racial epithets across furniture, walls, and blinds; and assaulting a BC Police Department officer. He has since been committed for psychological evaluation.
Sorkin discharged a fire extinguisher and pulled a fire alarm in Walsh before proceeding to Welch. When police came to his room, he assaulted them and resisted arrest, according to the public blotter released Monday by BCPD, which is available at BCPD headquarters in Maloney Hall for all members of the University community to view. The blotter also included two reports of property damage at Walsh Hall, both filed at 6:14 a.m.
Sorkin caused damage on the first, third, and fourth floors of Walsh. A glass door was broken on the third floor, and the laundry room was damaged to the point that it needed to be closed for 24 hours.
“An officer filed a report regarding malicious destruction of property over $1200,” the report said. “Michael Sorkin of Las Vegas, Nevada, was placed under arrest for Malicious Destruction of Property +$1200, False Fire Alarm, Attempted B&E Non-Residential, Assault & Battery on a Police Officer and Resisting Arrest.”
The second incident was described as “malicious property damage of property over $250” in the blotter.
In an email sent to Walsh residents Sunday morning, Audrey Mooradian, the resident director of Welch and administrator on call for the weekend, said that the laundry room would be temporarily offline until later notice. She also asked that any students whose belongings had been in the laundry room contact the building’s resident director.
The laundry room was reopened on Monday. The fire extinguisher debris and broken glass from around the building had been picked up and any damaged clothing was sent out for cleaning, according to Dan Borque, vice president of Facilities Management. The glass door was replaced Monday evening.
Featured Image by Jack Miller / Heights Editor
