More than a week after Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins sent out a Yale Alert reporting a possible drink tampering incident at Gryphon’s Pub at GPSCY, the Graduate and Professional Student Center at Yale, neither Yale nor its police department has released any other updates on the investigation.

However, an official message released by GPSCY management last week to patrons revealed more details about the Feb. 1 case. According to the announcement, a man was observed at the pub “dropping a pill” into someone else’s drink during a private event.

“This pub must be a place for the people, where everyone — everyone! — can gather for a respite in peace and safety,” wrote pub management in the GPSCY announcement. “Our first priority is never drinks and dance music. It is and always will be the safety of our patrons.”

GPSCY management reminded visitors that if they spot anything suspicious or dangerous, they should tell the manager, a bartender or the door staff. Management also encouraged students to reach out to the YPD if they wished to report suspicious behavior.

In the email, GPSCY reaffirmed its commitment to patrons’ safety and explained that its bartenders and staffers are specially trained to look out for the safety of their patrons.

GPSCY management expressed their surprise and their commitment to work with the YPD in its investigation of the incident. They announced that the police have a description of the suspect and are following up on all leads — information not mentioned in the Yale Alert.

The pub was “Closed for Private Events” on Friday from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday — the only night of the month scheduled for a private event, as of Feb. 10, according to the GPSCY’s online calendar of events.

When the News followed up on Feb. 10 with Chief Higgins regarding the incident, Higgins reiterated the fact that the Yale Police Department does not comment on ongoing investigations.

Hugh Xiao GRD ’24, a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering, told the News on Feb. 8 that he has not heard any other information about the drink tampering incident other than Higgins’ alert message. He said, however, that he hopes more awareness is raised.

“If it wasn’t for [the News’] email, I wouldn’t have looked at what drink tampering means even with Higgins’ email,” Xiao said.

Two other graduate students interviewed by the News also said that they had not heard any conversations or other information on the incident.

GPSCY is a social center that operates a student-run bar, Gryphon’s Pub. According to GPSCY’s website, individuals must be members to access the center, and all individuals enrolled as Yale graduate or professional students are automatically members.

Sammy Westfall | sammy.westfall@yale.edu