Currier Student Charged with Assaulting Harvard Police Officers, Threatening Violence

A student was arrested outside Currier House last month after he allegedly assaulted police officers and threatened a school shooting at Harvard.

Julian J. Dixon ’22, a student on a leave of absence, told officers he would come back and “shoot up this school” after he was detained for threatening a Securitas guard during the early morning of Nov. 2, according to a Harvard University Police Department report.

Dixon faces seven charges, including assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.

Upon arrest, officers found no weapons in Dixon’s possession, according to the police report. HUPD Detective Robert Surette was listed as the arresting officer.

Dixon pleaded not guilty on all counts. His attorney, Greg L. Johnson, declined to comment on his behalf.

Dixon, who told officers he had drunk three mojitos before coming to Currier House, attempted to punch and kick HUPD officers as they tried to arrest him, according to the report. At one point, Dixon broke free from the officers’ hold and ran into the street before he was again apprehended, the report said.

Dixon shouted racist slurs at two HUPD officers and spat at one of them, according to the police report.

The altercation began after Dixon was prevented from entering Currier House, his former residence, by a Securitas guard at around 1 a.m., the police report said. Dixon refused to identify himself and tried to walk past the guard, who said he would call the police if Dixon didn’t leave, according to the police report.

The guard called HUPD after Dixon refused, the police report said, before Dixon backed the guard into the corner of the security office, threatening to kill him and the members of Harvard’s administrative board.

Currier House Faculty Deans Latanya A. Sweeney and Sylvia I. Barrett wrote an email to students three days after the arrest citing the trespassing attempt and cautioning students to be vigilant, keep their doors locked, and to not allow others to “piggyback” when they swipe into the building.

“If we all act responsibly and maintain our vigilance, we will continue to have a home environment we all enjoy,” the deans wrote.

The Currier House deans held a conversation with residents on Nov. 6 to invite students to propose and discuss new safety measures and best practices for personal safety.

Following the incident, Harvard increased security measures at Currier, including adding two around-the-clock Securitas guards and stationing an HUPD car outside the building entrance.

The deans wrote in a follow-up email that Dixon, who they did not identify by name, was “no longer in the state,” but recommended continued caution because of the threat.

HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano declined to comment on the incident, citing a longstanding department policy to refrain from speaking about pending cases.

HUPD rarely makes arrests. According to the department’s annual security report, officers arrested only four people in 2021.

Dixon is scheduled for a virtual pre-trial hearing on Wednesday.

—Staff writer Brandon L. Kingdollar can be reached at brandon.kingdollar@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newskingdollar.