Homicide led to media mix-up

A report from WKBW-TV Channel 7 News warning students to stay inside their dorms for their own safety was aired early Thursday morning without first consulting UB officials after an apparent homicide near North Campus. The advisory, which was discredited by the Office of News Services mid-morning, left several UB officials confused as to how the alert began.

The alleged stabbing homicide of Kim Circle resident Dr. Joseph Matteliano is under investigation by the Amherst Police Department, according to department Captain Timothy Green. A search that included the use of an Erie County Sheriff helicopter was conducted at approximately 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

WKBW News Director Bill Payer said that the warning for students originated from an Amherst Police Department dispatcher.

"They were urging UB students to stay inside," Payer said.

Green, however, could not confirm whether anyone from his department made that announcement. Speaking to the media himself on the scene, he did not address any concern for university safety.

"I can picture a hundred ways it could happen," Green said, speculating that an overheard conversation between officers and/or neighbors of the victim could spark the report.

After hearing about the early-morning advisory on WKBW-TV, UB officials went to work assessing the risk to university residents and deciding whether there was an actual threat.

"We didn't know at first," said Dennis Black, vice president for Student Affairs. "We were learning from the media."

Black conferred with administrators from Public Safety and News Services, and determined that there was no credible threat to students on campus.

The next question for administrators, according to Black, was how to counteract the publicly presented misinformation. They chose to send an e-mail, drafted by News Services, to every student living on campus.

"We don't use an all-campus e-mail often," Black said, but "it was better to deal with reality before the rumor mill kicks into gear."

UB Chief of Police John Grela affirmed that there was no threat to students, and that anything implying otherwise was just a rumor.

"We were made aware an incident happened, and we were not asked to assist," Grela said. "I don't believe there was ever any danger to the campus."

Arthur Page, assistant vice president for News Services and Periodicals, said that WKBW-TV made a mistake, but an understandable one, calling the station's actions "incorrect and unfortunate."

"The television station should have checked with us. Good reporters verify their sources with a second source, and they didn't check with UB on this," Page said. "I can understand it though, particularly in the heat of the moment."

As of late Thursday evening, the Amherst Police Department investigation was still ongoing, and no arrests had been made in connection to the alleged homicide.