We are aware that an incident that took place on June 30, 2026 at our Northwest Family Y branch is receiving renewed attention in local social media groups. We want to ensure our community members have a clear understanding of how the YMCA responded and the steps taken following the incident.
At the time of the incident, the member in question had no prior flags on their membership. Once the situation was brought to our attention, the individual was escorted from the facility, and their membership was suspended pending an investigation. Staff gathered statements from employees and members who may have witnessed the incident as part of our established process for reviewing alleged Code of Conduct violations.
During this process, a member who was new to the facility expressed frustration with the steps being taken and contacted local police on their own. The officers took the lead in the investigation when they arrived. The YMCA remained in contact with law enforcement to follow up and cooperate with the process.
Following our investigation, the individual was sent a formal membership termination letter. They have not returned to any of our facilities since the initial incident and are not welcome to do so.
We recognize the seriousness of situations involving member safety and the importance of responding promptly, consistently, and responsibly. We also appreciate the care our members have for the safety of others and applaud them for bringing concerns to our attention. Our approach is guided by our commitment to child and participant safety and the standards and practices associated with our Praesidium accreditation. Our established process allows us to gather information, assess the circumstances, and take appropriate action while cooperating with law enforcement when involved.
We understand that incidents like this can raise concerns, particularly when discussed publicly without the full context. While we must respect individual privacy and the integrity of any investigation, we want our community to understand that action was taken, the individual's membership was terminated swiftly, and the individual has not returned to our facilities since the incident.
If you have additional concerns, please reach out to Megan Davis, Associate Vice President of Program Excellence, at mdavis@ymcacny.org. We also have avenues for our community to share any concerns about safety at ymcacny.org/child-safety-and-abuse-prevention
Our commitment remains to providing safe, welcoming environments for our members, participants, staff, and families. We will continue to take concerns seriously, review our policies regularly to ensure safety, and follow our established procedures when addressing alleged violations of our Code of Conduct.