Murder For A Seat On The D Train
Stuyvesant Student Suspected Of Attempted Arson
NYC Wants Death Penalty In Terror Trials, Germany Doesn't
Tween Singer's Chaotic L.I. Mall Appearance, Record Exec Arrested
Goldman Sachs Staffers To Serve Thanksgiving Meals To Needy
Allegedly the NYPD was investigating Andrew Williamson-Noble's death at NYU's Bobst Library early yesterday morning as a possible homicide, until they discovered a suicide note in his dorm room. While his final words should remain private, the Daily News has apparently done some digging into his personal life.
The student (a major in East Asian studies, and fluent in Chinese) had texted a friend at 2 a.m. yesterday to meet him on 2nd Avenue for french fries, but the friend was sleeping. His tendency to be up late was something Williamson-Noble had written about previously on his Facebook page, saying, "I wish I had more friends who were on the same sleep cycle as me. There's a considerable loneliness that comes from being awake when few others are. One feels both that one owns the world, and that despite this triumph, has no one to share it with."
Despite also writing about "depressing thoughts which had been haunting me," friends and family are shocked—the friend he had texted, saying, "It's very surprising. He was a happy guy." His mother told the paper, "I have no idea how this happened and why. I wish he was here with us and we could hug him."
While the library stacks are supposed to close around 1 a.m., the NYU Local got word that "the elevators were neither locked nor shut off, and that — to their knowledge — the crime scene is also not monitored by security cameras. For what it’s worth, our source says that these security oversights are something they expect the University will be promptly investigating." Now the elevators will be shut off at 1 a.m.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
If only there were other people awake at 2am...in New York City...the city that never sl...
My apologies for being rude. I think once the note becomes available it would be in good taste not to post it.
Agreed. This was obviously a troubled kid. Shame on the Daily News for "digging into his personal life" & publishing stuff about him. No doubt his family's in enough pain as it is.
How many future people will be encouraged to commit suicide by all the publicity this guy received , vs. how many will hear his story and seek help rather than kill themselves?
Depression can create unhealthy sleeping patterns. Unhealthy sleeping patterns worsen depression.
Suicide is a natural part of society. More resources for the rest of us. Sad the dude offed himself though cause he looked like the George lazenby James bond
Your empathy is astounding.
I'm pretty sure I saw BH standing in the middle of the library yelling, "Jump! Jump!"
I thought he offed himself BECAUSE he looked like George Lazenby. However, I still think Timothy Dalton was the worst bond.
man, feeling the like the king of that library at that hour... that has got to be the loneliest way of looking at at it. that building is huge and hollow, almost completely isolated from the rest of the world. it becomes a world in itself.
daylight savings time always gets students depressed, too. suddenly it's colder and darker, you feel like you aren't getting enough things done before the day is over. very stressful.
Terrible, terrible tragedy.
Sound more bipolar than depressed.
Wouldn't it be great if families could grieve privately, instead of having the press dig up every bit of dirt about a person.
the crime scene is also not monitored by security cameras. For what it’s worth, our source says that these security oversights are something they expect the University will be promptly investigating.
This is a) retarded; b) depressing.
This is a college library, students (who are paying enough money) should be able to wander around it whenever without a bunch of cameras shoved up their ass.
All it means is that the next suicide will be on Youtube within a day.
More likely that the next suicide will be for YouTube.
At NYU? That footage goes straight to Sundance.
installing cameras and 24/7 suicide nannys only means that the next suicide will be a student slitting his wrists in the bathtub or hanging themselves in the closet.
stop blaming NYU or its anti suicide efforts.
watch the HBO film "boy interrupted",
it shows a artsy couple filming their death and depression obsessed toddler who just became a teenager filled with angst constantly being institutionalized and treated, he didnt learn to cope with his issues he just learned to mask and hide his feelings. everytime he had incidents his freedoms were taken away in the name of saving him, sadly he just ended up quietly slipping out the window to his death. no amount of intervention or medication helped.
so if you want to go, youll figure out a way kids.
this sucks. I had a friend who works nights at UPS and called me up for a drink but I was sleeping.
still feel bad brushing him off.
If he ever wants french fries then haul your ass out of bed.
i am impressed he got over the plexiglass, its probably ten feet high on each floor.
the last article quoted the nyu response: "Please share this response if you are asked." They were also told to say that “Suicides at NYU are not typical.” "
My sister went to nyu, and i'm pretty sure there was a whole rash of suicides. i'm not saying suicides are exclusive to nyu, however, it was an actual issue in the news.
i tried to find exactly what i was remembering and a quick google search brought a lot of hits, but i think the primary incident is the 2004 group of 6 that freaked everyone out. this article from '08 talks about NYU's attempts to quiet suicide discussion and the writer's desire for more support. http://theicarusproject.net/campus-organizing/suicide-contagion+
it make's nyu's recent "not typical" byline, well, creepy.
People are going to kill themselves if they want to, and I don't think it's fair to judge someone for their choice. You can't protect people from themselves forever.
That said, it's still always an awful tragedy for everyone.
re: JacqueMehoff - That was my first thought. The friend who got that phone call must feel terrible. Certainly not your fault but it's something you'll carry forever. I think it's a way of revenge, too, in that way. (in some cases).
I forget who said this but a great quote "If you can write a meaningful suicide note, you cannot commit suicide. Conversely, you cannot commit suicide if you can write a meaningful suicide note."
I was a sophomore at NYU in 2006 and studied during that string of 6 suicides, and NYU *did* try to push it under the rug a little, but any move they made would have been criticized for one reason or another. I think they did what they could, considering it's still an institution.
My thoughts are with his family and friends..
Peace, Lily