Former Seton Hall adjunct philosophy professor – Marc Lamparello – who was arrested by NYPD counterterrorism officers last year after walking into St. Patrick’s Cathedral with gasoline cans, has committed suicide.
According to The New York Times, Lamparello was released from Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center and died on April 17. He was released due to the coronavirus.
Last year, The Setonian reported that NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller told reporters that Lamparello pulled up in a minivan near St. Patrick’s Cathedral before proceeding to remove two 2-gallon gasoline cans, two butane lighters and two bottles of lighter fluid from the vehicle and make his way up the church steps. Lamparello was then stopped and confronted by a cathedral security officer inside the building who informed him that he could not enter the church with the materials. Lamparello claimed that he was simply cutting through the church to get to Madison Avenue and that his car had run out of gas, after which officers found his car and determined that his vehicle was not out of gas. Lamparello has since been charged with attempted arson, reckless endangerment and trespassing.
Lamparello’s arrest caused quite a stir, as he was taken into custody just two days after the Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire.
Lamparello was supposed to participate in a treatment program at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, a condition of his release. Instead, his lawyer told ABC 7 New York, he received no treatment and jumped from the Verrazzano Bridge last week.
Laurine Pine, Seton Hall University spokesperson, provided a comment to The Setonian regarding the incident.
"As a Catholic university, our prayers go out to Mr. Lamparello’s family following this tragic loss," she said.
Isabel Soisson can be reached at isabel.soisson@student.shu.edu. Find her on Twitter @IsabelSoisson.
