INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 129, No. 37
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
Scene of the crime | A helicopter takes off from the bridge leading to West Hill, where an Ithaca Police officer was shot while pursuing a suspect Thursday night.
AKANE OTANI / SUN NEWS EDITOR
16 Pages – Free
Police Close Off Part of Commons After Bomb Scare By JEFF STEIN Sun Managing Editor
City Police Officer Shot
Officer conscious at scene; police search for suspect By REBECCA HARRIS Sun News Editor
An Ithaca Police officer was shot at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday night while pursuing a suspect, according to police. As of 1:48 a.m. Friday, police were still searching for the suspect near the West Village Apartments complex. The officer was conscious and alert, and was transported to a medical center for treatment of his injuries, according to a statement from the city. After the officer attempted to pull over a reportedly
News C.U. Comes Out to Celebrate
Students celebrated National Coming Out Day on Ho Plaza and across campus. | Page 3
Opinion The Power of Words
Alex Perez ’12 experiences first-hand the impact that words can have on patients and encourages readers to keep this lesson in mind in everyday interactions. | Page 7
Opinion The Crackdown on Cyclers
Patricia Kim ’14 grudgingly recalls receiving a bike ticket and reminds fellow bike riders of the rules of the road. | Page 8
Arts Brief Wondrous Life of Love
The Sun reviews Junot Díaz’s M.F.A. ’95 latest series of short stories. | Page 11
Sports End of a Winning Streak
The Cornell football team fell to undefeated Harvard over the weekend. | Page 16
Weather Showers HIGH: 63 LOW: 37
stolen vehicle in West Hill, the driver got out of his car and fled on foot, according to the statement. The officer pursued the suspect in a brief chase. While approaching the suspect, the officer was shot, according to the statement. The perpetrator was described as a black male of average height with a thin build and short hair. The suspect was wearing a gray sweatshirt and a shiny diamond earring and was carrying a black backpack at the time of the shooting, according to the statement. The police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 911 or IPD’s anonymous tip line at (607) 697-0333.
A suspicious package left outside the Bank of America downtown led police to evacuate several buildings on the Commons Thursday but was ultimately determined to be “non-threatening,” according to a statement released by the City of Ithaca. The Commons, Object was “non-threatening.” which had been partially blocked off to City of Ithaca press release pedestrian traffic for much of the day, were reopened at about 7 p.m., according to Julie Holcomb, city clerk. “The threat has passed,” Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 said on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Ithaca Police Department Lt. Vince Monticello said police were treating the object as a “possible explosive device.” The Seneca County Canine Unit and the New York State Police Bomb Disposal Unit also responded to the investigation, the city said. Earlier in the day, the Ithaca Fire Department said on its
Law School Construction Not Disruptive, Profs Say By ALEXA DAVIS Sun Contributor
Since early June, a drone of machines has accompanied the construction of a new wing at the Cornell Law School that will house a lobby, an auditorium and two state-of-the-art lecture halls.
Despite the noise, construction does not seem to be hindering daily activities, professors and students said in a series of interviews with The Sun. In place of frustration, most have expressed a sense of exciteSee LAW SCHOOL page 4
See BOMB SCARE page 4
C.U. TAKES TO TWITTER FOR #VPDEBATE Sounded like Biden was lecturing his son; a son that didn’t respect or care for him. — Jeremy Stull grad @jpstull Great, substantive debate, but Biden stole the show ... Ryan stuck with campaign rhetoric. — Jon Weinberg ’13 @jonweinberg B hit hard, often, and effectively. R held his own, finishing strong attacking O’s record and displaying youthful charisma. — Jason Wright ’12 @jsnwr
Student Politicos Split on Vice Presidential Debate C.U. Dems, GOP hold joint viewing By LIANNE BORNFELD Sun Staff Writer
Light-hearted laughs and excitement abounded among the Cornell Democrats and Cornell Republicans at a joint viewing of the debate between Vice President Joe Biden (D) and Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Thursday night. Over warm Coors Light, Insomnia cookies and oreos, upwards of 35 campus politicos, along with several members of the Ithaca College Republicans and the I.C. Democrats, huddled
around a television to watch Biden and Ryan spar. With campaign posters plastered around the living room and the buzz of political chatter in the air, anticipation was rising before the debate began. “I think Biden is a very good debater, generally, so I expect some really good things from him … I think we can expect [him] to be a lot more aggressive in this debate,” said See DEBATE page 5
MAX WHITTAKER / THE NEW YORK TIMES