Princeton University Student Missing, Authorities Search near N.J. Lake

Princeton University undergraduate student Lauren Blackburn was reported missing, per the Department of Public Safety, on Monday, April 22. The school issued a Tiger Alert on the same day.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking information regarding the whereabouts of Blackburn.

According to the Tiger Alert, sent to the University’s community, the 23-year-old was last seen at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, near the university’s Firestone Library.

The student wore blue torn jeans, a yellow T-shirt with a black hooded sweatshirt and blue shoes. He is 6’2”, weighs 170 lbs, and has brown eyes and black hair.

Around midnight, between Monday night and Tuesday morning, DPS began an ongoing search near Lake Carnegie—a man-made reservoir built in 1906 for PU’s rowing teams—after a missing person’s phone was pinged near the area.

Lake Carnegie is located about a mile away from the Firestone Library. However, it is not yet confirmed if the device belonged to Blackburn. Sonar units and drones from Hamilton Township, as well as K-9 units have been brought in for the water search.

Blackburn is a former features writer for the school newspaper. He was among 2,500 students who earned the National Merit Scholarship in 2019, and began his studies at Princeton that fall.

If anyone has any information about his whereabouts, they are encouraged to contact DPS immediately at (609) 258-1000.