Campus Alert Archive
Hofstra

A Home Invasion on California Avenue and a One-Line Alert

NYpolice activitytimely warningmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

In the early hours of May 17, 2013, a masked gunman invaded an off-campus house on California Avenue shared by Hofstra University students, where he held junior Andrea Rebello in a headlock as a human shield. A responding Nassau County police officer fired eight times, killing both the intruder, Dalton Smith, and the 21-year-old Rebello. Hofstra texted students that Public Safety had been notified of 'a home invasion and shooting off campus on California Avenue.'

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
Hofstra University
Private R2 · NY
~11,000 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimCBS News, quoting Hofstra's text message to students156 chars
Hofstra University Public Safety has been notified of a home invasion and shooting off campus on California Avenue. Further details will follow in an email.
The brief text says only that there was 'a home invasion and shooting off campus' and promises an email to follow, deliberately withholding the fatality and the fact that the victim was a Hofstra student until facts were confirmed.
The alert names California Avenue, a residential street adjacent to the Uniondale campus where many students rent houses, illustrating the Clery challenge of off-campus student housing geography.
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Approximate reconstruction366 chars
It is with profound sadness that we confirm that a member of the Hofstra community, junior Andrea Rebello, died early this morning during a home invasion at an off-campus residence on California Avenue. Counseling and support services are available to students, faculty and staff. The university is cooperating with the Nassau County Police Department investigation.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

This follow-up is a reconstruction of the promised email; news accounts confirm Hofstra publicly identified Rebello and offered counseling, but the verbatim email text was not published.
The shift from the terse initial text to a named confirmation reflects the standard two-step pattern of withholding identity until facts and notifications are complete.
Context

Background

The shooting unfolded at an off-campus house on California Avenue near Hofstra's Uniondale campus that Andrea Rebello shared with her twin sister Jessica and other sorority sisters. Police responding to a 911 call about a home invasion found the masked intruder, Dalton Smith, holding Rebello in a headlock with a gun to her head. Officer Nikolas Budimlic fired eight times; seven rounds struck Smith, killing him, and one struck and killed Rebello. The case drew national scrutiny over police use of force in hostage situations, and the Rebello family settled lawsuits for $4.5 million. Hofstra's terse initial text — confirmed verbatim by CBS News — is a notable example of an institution issuing an off-campus safety notification within hours while withholding casualty details pending confirmation.
Analysis

Key Findings

Hofstra's initial one-line text confirmed only 'a home invasion and shooting off campus on California Avenue,' withholding the fatality until a follow-up email
Nassau County investigators determined that a responding officer's bullet, not the intruder's, killed Andrea Rebello
The off-campus location on a student-rental street highlights how Clery timely-warning obligations extend to housing adjacent to campus
Outcome
Both Andrea Rebello and the intruder Dalton Smith died. Nassau County determined that a police officer's bullet killed Rebello. Her family later settled lawsuits for $4.5 million.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Andrea Rebello Update: Family of accidentally slain Hofstra student criticizes police - CBS News
    cbsnews.com
  2. News
    Police officer's bullet killed Hofstra student during standoff - CBS News
    cbsnews.com
  3. News
    Hofstra Student in Home Invasion Was Killed by Police Gunshot - NBC New York
    nbcnewyork.com
  4. News
    Hofstra Student Slain: Family Settles Lawsuits For $4.5 Million - Patch
    patch.com
Tags
home-invasionnew-yorkoff-campuspolice-shootingtimely-warningstudent-death
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion