Museum of Modern Art, New York. What was learned about avoiding future violence?

The suspect, who has been a regular visitor at the MoMA, entered the build­ing intending to see a film being screened inside. But his memb­er­ship had recently been revoked for two separate incidents of disord­erly behav­iour at the museum. The let­ter revoking the man’s MoMA membership card had already been sent to him, and when he showed up at 4:15 PM last week, he became up­set about not being allowed in. As he attempted to gain entrance by presenting his memb­ership card, which was rejected, the suspect became angry,  jumped over the reception desk to att­ack and stab two female museum employees .. multiple times.

The security guard near the entrance picked up a large binder and threw it at the att­acker to distract him. The attacker was still holding his knife when he asked where the security guard’s gun was. Then he ran out­side!

Miller said police will locate the man. They have video of the man leaving the museum and were aware of the direction he left. He described the man as a 60 year old male wearing a black jack­­et, blue surgical mask, a colourfully patterned shirt and hood. Law enforcement officials were investigating the incident, probably easier since the suspect was known to the NYPD because of  the previous incidents in the same area. But he did not have an extensive police record. His descript­ion was released immediately by the NYPD over division radio units in the area and a search was initiated. 

                            

Alyssa Katz, deputy editor for the local news site The City, went to meet friends at MoMA and was greeted with a stampede of people - the museum was being evacuated. Katz’s friend Mike Rubin, a writer for The New York Times, was waiting for Ms Katz in the lobby when a sec­urity guard told his group to leave the building immediately. They were about to walk inside when they saw hundreds of peo­ple running out and yelling shooter, shooter. Katz said she had seen New York police off­icers questioning witnesses. The scene wasn’t frantic; visitors weren’t told what was going on; just to close the exhibits imm­ediately. The emergency was handled very well by the workers and NYPD.

The NYPD released photos of the man wanted for questioning in connection with the stabbings at MoMA Saturday. The individual in­volved in this incident was already known, so the authorities had good information . But the incident is still un­folding and the invest­igation is in its early stages. The museum will close in the meantime.

Mayor Eric Adams said he was briefed on the incident, say­ing that it appeared to be an isolated, criminal incident. He was grateful for the quick work of the first respond­ers. Adams asked for the public's help in lo­cating the individual, asking people to avoid the area while Police continued their investigation. NYC's official emergency management agency informed residents of road closures at the scene near West 53rd St between 5th and 6th Aves.
Police set out caution tapes inside the reception area
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Anyone with information should contact the NYPD a.s.a.p since public safety is the top priority. Adams has begun implementing his broad plan to combat gun viol­ence and crime in the city, including reviv­ing the NYPD's controversial anti-crime unit. Neighbourhood safety teams will be patrol­ling high-crime neighbourhoods! The city rec­orded a 41% inc­rease in major crime in early 2022, compared to the same time last year.

Apparently some gallery goers are not necessarily the finest, most cultured people in the world as I thought. So what will happen to prevent viol­ence happening again? Airport-type metal detectors used on every person who wants to enter a gallery? Hidden cameras all over the gallery? Guards in every room and service area? Wanted Posters for each banned person, hanging on the front wall? I think not!