Man found stabbed to death inside DC's West End Library, leaving GW students shaken
The West End Library will remain closed through the weekend following a deadly stabbing on Friday. A homicide investigation has raised safety concerns among students and residents in the surrounding Foggy Bottom neighborhood.
According to D.C. police, a library patron discovered the man unresponsive inside a bathroom shortly before 2 p.m. Investigators say the victim had suffered fatal stab wounds.
Police recovered what they believe to be a kitchen knife during their investigation.
The library is just steps from George Washington University, where students frequently go to study.
For some students, the violence has shaken their sense of security.
"A stabbing in a public library, I don't know, a hundred feet from where I study, where I learn. 30 feet from where I live, I don't feel safe about that," one student told WUSA9.
Students shocked by deadly violence near campus
The homicide drew a large police response to the library Friday afternoon, catching nearby residents and students off guard.
"I was actually on a run. I was running around here, and I saw a lot of police cars. I didn't know what happened," Philippe, a GWU student, told WUSA9.
Students described the West End Library as a familiar and typically safe place to study, making the deadly stabbing particularly unsettling.
"I'm honestly shocked. This is a safe area, safe library, go there regularly. Very disturbing," said Phillipe.
D.C. Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said investigators believe the stabbing happened inside the library's restroom.
Police have not released additional details about what may have led to the violence or whether the victim and the person responsible knew each other.
DC Public Library director reassures community
Despite the deadly incident, D.C. Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan emphasized that DC's libraries are safe.
"Incidents like this are increasingly rare. Three and a half million people come to DC libraries every year. Those numbers are in our favor," Reyes-Gavilan said.
However, some students said the stabbing has left them questioning their safety in an area where they regularly live, study, and spend time.
"You kind of start thinking if you are safe around campus or in DC," Philippe said.
Police continue homicide investigation
As of Friday evening, police had not publicly identified the victim or released a suspect description.
The deadly stabbing remains under investigation.
The library will reopen on Monday.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099 or text a tip to 50411.
