NEW YORK - A 19-year-old college student from Long Island was stabbed to death at the University at Buffalo.
Police have identified the victim as Tyler Lewis, a 19-year-old male from Baldwin, N.Y., and a student at Buffalo State College, a sister SUNY institution.
He was stabbed at Moody Terrace roadway near Richmond Quad (Ellicott Complex) on the North Campus on Friday evening. An ambulance rushed him to Erie County Medical Center but it was too late to save his life.
Campus Police say that it was a "targeted act of violence" and there is no ongoing danger to the university community.
"Initial accounts provided by witnesses indicate this incident likely stemmed from a physical altercation between several individuals who most likely knew each other," the police said in a statement.
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Police have identified a person of interest and they believe that person had significant facial injuries and left the area driving a black 4-door sedan.
He is described as a white male, between 19 and 22 years of age, with light brown hair, medium build, and approximately 5’5" to 5’9" in height. He was wearing a mustard-colored shirt that was covered in blood. The subject had several cuts on his face, including a large diagonal laceration across his forehead.
Anyone with information about the incident or the person of interest is urged to contact University Police immediately at 716-645-2222.
"I want to reassure our community that our campuses are extremely safe," UB Police Chief Chris Bartolomei said in a statement. "To be clear, this does not appear to be a random act of violence, but rather a targeted incident between known individuals. Our officers and investigators are working around the clock with local law enforcement partners to bring the individuals involved to justice."
As a precaution, University Police have increased patrols on campus.