Penn State alumna confesses to vandalizing campus landmarks, reveals motives behind actions | College Park Campus Information

The Every day Collegian Information Reporter Maggie Day contributed to this text.

In an e-mail acquired by The Every day Collegian, a 2021 Penn State alumna confessed to the current vandalism of a number of Penn State landmarks.

Julia Frances Cipparulo stated she vandalized the Nittany Lion Shrine, Previous Important and the Hintz Household Alumni Heart throughout the evening of Might 7 into Might 8.

Cipparulo was charged with one rely of prison mischief, one rely of institutional vandalism [on] adjoining floor, one rely of theft by illegal taking [of] movable property and one rely of receiving stolen property, in line with court docket paperwork.

The landmarks had a number of messages scrawled out, and the Lion Shrine’s ear was damaged and coated in pink paint, which appeared to imitate blood. Penn State introduced the world can be fenced off for a police investigation. 

The Lion Shrine was then reopened after its three-week closure.

Cipparulo stated her reasoning behind the vandalism was to talk out towards the college, which she claims is “the blueprint for mishandling, negligence and concealing sexual abuse, hazing and pupil deaths.”

“No, I’d not decide up a sword, as I consider in nonviolence towards humankind. So when the pen failed, I picked up a sledgehammer and took to the Lion Shrine,” she wrote.

She stated the damaged ear of the shrine ought to function “a everlasting reminder of the darkish aspect of Penn State College, the lives misplaced and a warning.”

The alumna additionally wrote a 32-page doc outlining her experiences with sexual assault and struggles with psychological well being at Penn State.

Cipparulo defined her reasoning behind a number of statements scrawled on the landmarks as properly.

The messages, “DEATH BY COP,” “DEATH BY HAZING,” “DEATH BY SUICIDE” and “DEATH BY PSU CULTURE” have been discovered on varied elements of Previous Important.

Cipparulo stated these have been in reference to Osaze Osagie, Timothy Piazza, Ashley Pauls and Justine Gross. She stated she believes every of those deaths have been preventable.

Cipparulo additionally stated she lit 4 candles throughout State Faculty in honor of the 4 people — one at Previous Important, one on the Bryce Jordan Heart, one on the State Faculty Municipal Constructing and one on the Beta Theta Pi fraternity home.

Osagie, a 29-year-old Black man, was killed by a State Faculty police officer on March 20, 2019 when three officers arrived at Osagie’s condo to serve a psychological well being warrant.

Osagie, who had autism and a historical past of schizophrenia, allegedly ran on the officers with a knife. After an unsuccessful try and deploy a Taser on him, he was allegedly shot by Officer M. Jordan Pieniazek.

The three officers concerned within the taking pictures haven’t been charged.

Piazza, who was a Penn State sophomore, died on Feb. 4, 2017 after an alcohol-fueled bid-acceptance evening on the now-banned Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Piazza consumed not less than 18 drinks in 82 minutes and fell down the fraternity’s stairs. Brothers waited hours earlier than calling for assist.

Pauls was a Penn State junior who “out of the blue” died on February 11, 2021, in line with her obituary from Cantelmi Lengthy Funeral House, Inc.

Pauls was within the Faculty of Schooling at Penn State College Park and was additionally concerned with THON and Penn State Dance Alliance. An annual memorial award in her honor is now granted by her household at THON.

Gross died because of a fall inside an eleventh flooring stable waste disposal chute at 456 E. Beaver Avenue on Nov. 10, 2021. Gross was reported lacking on Nov. 11.

Gross’s physique was discovered on Nov. 12 on the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority switch station in Faculty Township, and in line with a court docket petition, her household needed to determine her physique solely by photographs.

Cipparulo stated in her e-mail she has just lately been in “residential rehabilitation facilities” for post-traumatic stress dysfunction.

“This PTSD was a commencement present from my alma mater,” she wrote.

She stated she was “totally conscious of the implications” of her actions however acknowledged, “I’ve no regrets, and I’d do it once more each single time,” relating to the vandalism.

Nonetheless, she stated she “has no intention of inflicting authorized hassle” sooner or later.

Cipparulo can have a preliminary arraignment on Monday.

This can be a breaking information story. The Every day Collegian will replace this text as extra info turns into accessible.

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