Student Falls from Residence Hall Window

A Frostburg State University student fell from a window on the sixth story of Westminster Hall, an upperclassman residence hall, in the late hours of Monday, April 10. A large police presence with officers from multiple units monitored a crime scene immediately behind the northeast corner of the hall into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The student, identified Tuesday by university officials as sophomore engineering-major Orion Samson Belete, was taken to Western Maryland Regional Medical Center before being transmitted by air to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Md. The Office of News and Media Relations sent an email correspondence to the campus community before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, stating that the student was “seriously injured.” The student’s name was withheld “pending notification of family members.”

The matters resulting in the fall of the student remain unclear, as does the possibility of other parties. Windows in university residence halls are fitted, however, with screens permanently attached to the sills. Entry and exit via the windows would thus require removal of the screens and securing bolts. The windows in Westminster Hall are of a sliding horizontal variety that keeps half of the window closed at all times. Additionally, windows in the building are not floor-to-ceiling, but are rather of the traditional, elevated variety.

The campus-wide email details resources available for students, stating: “FSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services is available for anyone who would like to speak with a counselor. Call them at 301-687-4234 24 hours a day to be connected to a counselor.”

Frostburg State University Police and the Allegany County Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) are investigating the incident.

Check back for more updates.