Harvard Professor Suspended After Firing Pellet Gun Near Synagogue on Yom Kippur Eve

Oct 05, 2025 03:03 pm CST

Harvard Law School has placed visiting professor Carlos Portugal Gouvea on administrative leave following an incident where he allegedly fired a pellet rifle near Temple Beth Zion in Brookline on Yom Kippur eve. Though claiming he was "hunting rats," Gouvea faces multiple charges including illegal discharge of a weapon and property damage. The incident occurs amid ongoing scrutiny of Harvard's handling of campus antisemitism concerns.