The petition to expel Christian Gutierrez from NYU was signed by over 25,000 people in three days
The rising junior was convicted of slaughtering protected birds in Hawaii
Within three days, the change.org petition to demand the expulsion of Christian Gutierrez from NYU accrued 25,000 signatures and was raised to a cap of 35,000 to present to President Andrew Hamilton and other university administrators
In late December 2015, Gutierrez (who was 18 at the time and a freshman in Film & TV) and a group of friends were camping at the Ka’ena Point Natural Area Reserve, when they began a rampage against Laysan Albatrosses, using a bat and pellet gun to kill at least 15 of the native birds and smash their eggs and nests.
Following the attack, the boys used a machete to chop off and collect the birds’ feet and ID bands. They also stole nearby wildlife monitoring cameras, which they mistook for security equipment that could identify them. The attack incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in lasting environmental damages.
As of sentencing on July 6, 2017, Gutierrez faces 45 days in jail, heavily shy of a possible year-long punishment. He also must perform 200 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine. The NYU student (and graduate of the same prestigious Honolulu prep school attended by President Barack Obama) apologized in court, saying “I wish I had the courage not to go along.” He plans to ask to serve his probation in New York while returning to NYU this August.