A Syracuse University student said she witnessed the racist incident that occurred early Saturday morning on University Place.

A driver reportedly shouted a racial slur while passing by two students between Ernie Davis and DellPlain halls, according to a Department of Public Safety notice issued Saturday evening. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. and did not involve a physical altercation.

Leah Buxbaum, a sophomore transmedia major who lives in DellPlain, said she was sitting in her dorm when she heard the N-word shouted from her open window.

“Ten minutes later, I heard yelling, and then I looked out the window and a car was driving by,” Buxbaum said.

After hearing the racial slur, Buxbaum said she looked out the window and saw a student chase after a car driving past the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. The student shouted a homophobic slur at the car, Buxbaum said.

About 10 students appeared to be standing near the steps outside Phi Psi at the time of the incident, she said.

DPS officers met with the two impacted students to offer support and resources, the report said. The report, which does not mention the use of a homophobic slur, does not identify the students nor reference Phi Psi.

The department is actively investigating the incident and has no suspects at the time, according to the report.

At least 26 racist, anti-Semitic or bias-related incidents have occurred at or near SU since Nov. 7. A racial slur was yelled at freshman Minghao Ai as he left Day Hall on Nov. 16, and an individual yelled a racial slur at a Latino male and female on Dec. 4 while driving on Euclid Avenue.

An SU student was also physically assaulted and called a homophobic slur near DJ’s on the Hill, a bar on Marshall Street, on Dec. 14.

SU suspended its chapter of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity after members and guests shouted a racial slur at a Black woman Nov. 16. The university suspended four students involved in the incident.

Published on February 9, 2020 at 8:02 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan