Julien D’Avanzo, a third-year history student and a
resident assistant for Rieber Hall 3 South, died early Thursday
morning after falling from a third-floor balcony of the Saxon
Suites in what was apparently an alcohol-related accident.
D’Avanzo, 20, fell at approximately 1 a.m., according to a
letter written by Office of Residential Life Director Suzanne
Seplow. He was immediately transported to the hospital but did not
survive the fall.
During a candle-light vigil held Thursday night in Rieber Court,
some of D’Avanzo’s friends said D’Avanzo had been
drinking the night of the incident.
Julien’s father, Gene D’Avanzo, described what
happened as “a mistake.”
“They were coming back from a party. … They were messing
around and (Julien) made a mistake and fell,” he said.
Julien’s mother Kathleen D’Avanzo said she hopes the
incident will indicate to students the importance of being careful
when consuming alcohol.
Director of police community services Nancy Greenstein did not
say whether police had determined alcohol was involved in the
incident, but said they were interviewing witnesses to discover
exactly what happened.
UCPD has not yet determined the exact circumstances and cause of
the fall, Greenstein said.
Though several representatives were contacted, officials from
the Office of Residential Life and UCLA Housing Services would not
comment about the incident.
Greenstein said UCPD received a call at 1:03 a.m. reporting a
fall from a third-floor balcony. Officers and emergency medical
technicians were immediately dispatched, and Los Angeles Fire and
Paramedic services arrived soon after they secured the scene.
According to an e-mail to residents from Saxon J-Building RA
Stacy Ishigaki, EMTs responded within two minutes of the emergency
call, and Saxon H-Building RA Joe Iniguez stayed with
D’Avanzo until he was transported to the medical center.
Erick Magana, a second-year English student and close friend of
D’Avanzo, said he heard of the incident around 3 a.m., at
which point he went to the hospital. He said there were more than
30 people at the hospital, many of whom stayed for several
hours.
“Everyone was just trying to support each other (and)
console each other,” Magana said.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero expressed
condolences for D’Avanzo’s family and friends.
“Our hearts go out to his family, as well as the
residential community. I know he was well-known on the Hill,”
Montero said.
Seplow also wrote in her letter “we all feel a great loss
by his death.”
A candle-light vigil in D’Avanzo’s honor was held
Thursday night, with fraternity and sorority members meeting in
front of the Sigma Pi fraternity ““ of which he was a member
““ on Landfair Avenue. They walked to Rieber Court, where a
gathering of hundreds of students mourned his death.
“I loved him dearly. I will continue to love him,”
said one speaker during the open-mic portion of the vigil.
A memorial service is planned for Wednesday at 8 p.m., though a
location has not been determined.
With reports from Richard Clough and Robert Faturechi, Bruin
senior staff.