Neighbors and acquaintances of Andrew Alston, the University student charged with second-degree murder in the Saturday homicide of Walker Andrew Sisk, 22, said there was nothing overt in his behavior that made them especially wary of him or made him stick out.
A third-year College student who frequently studied for physics with Alston said she was shocked by his arrest.
"I am so blown away," the student said. "I seriously would never have guessed he could be capable of anything like this. He comes off as such a sweet guy."
Those who lived near Alston at the 1815 Jefferson Park Avenue apartment complex also said he seemed like an ordinary student.
"My impression of him was that he was not weird," said a neighbor who had partied twice with Alston. "I mean, he looked normal. He dressed normal. I had been down to their place. It was very normal, very college."
The neighbor did concede, however, that after returning from a night of partying, she felt uncomfortable with Alston being in her apartment, though she admitted that she could not differentiate whether the cause of the reaction was because of her state or Alston's presence.
Second-year College student Brian Siebenburgen and second-year Architecture student Ryan Hickox live immediately across the hall from Alston's apartment. Both said they never had a problem with their neighbors.
"They seem like generally low key kind of guys," Siebenburgen said.
Hickox confessed he could not even identify which of his neighbors was Alston, but said generally he has never had trouble with any of them.
When a police officer arrived and knocked on the door five feet away from their own, both said their first thought was that police were searching for the serial rapist.
Despite the lack of problems with those who live around him, Alston did have a run in with the law only two months ago.
Charlottesville Police Department Capt. Chip Harding said that on Sept. 7, police responded to a call from a woman who said Alston had hit her in the face when she attempted to leave a party on the 1800 block of Jefferson Park Avenue.
Harding said the woman told police that she was Alston's former girlfriend and that he had assaulted her in the past.
That night, in apparent frustration, Alston struck a fan and lamp with his hand, cutting himself, Harding said. Alston subsequently was treated at the University Medical Center emergency room.
Police obtained warrants for the assault and battery and took Alston into custody that night. He was processed and released on a $1,500 bond. A trial still is pending.
University spokesperson Carol Wood said the University was not aware the incident occurred and therefore did not take any punitive action against Alston.
University Judiciary Committee Chair Alexis Gregorian said she could neither confirm nor deny a case against Alston had been brought in relation to the incident.
The University did, however, take prompt action following the alleged murder. Within 12 hours of Alston's alleged involvement in the murder of Sisk, the University suspended him.
The Undergraduate Record defines interim suspension as, "Temporary suspension by an official of the University of a student who engages in conduct posing a substantial threat to the health or safety of other members of the University or to University property, pending a hearing of the offense."
A student who is suspended is entitled to a hearing within 24 hours, according to University regulations. If the student is unavailable to attend, the hearing will be postponed until he or she is available.
Alston presently is being held in the Charlottesville/Albemarle Joint Security Complex.
"Saturday morning, top University administrators decided this individual met the highest bar of someone who threatened the safety and well-being of the University community and the surrounding community," Wood said.
The University issued the suspension at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and notification of the suspension was delivered to Alston.
Those suspended are barred from University Grounds and may not enter without the permission of a University official.
Read More
Class of 2024 celebrates graduation at final exercises
By Finn Trainer | 3 days agoIn his opening remarks, University President Jim Ryan praised the graduating class for their resilience during challenging times.
U.Va. Alumni Association submits plans for new Alumni Hall building
By Caroline Hagood | 5 days agoWest said that despite the proposal moving through City Council’s review process, the project is still years away from becoming a reality.
Graduating student leaders reflect on how they impacted the University community
By Jackie Bond and Brandon Kile | 6 days agoAccording to Lilian Rojas, Board of Visitors student representative and fourth-year Batten student, the Class of 2024 is defined by its resilience.
