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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 15, 2025

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The only problem is that most multi-unit buildings require a key, and guests have to be buzzed in. They're also likely to be under video surveillance.

The only problem is that most multi-unit buildings require a key, and guests have to be buzzed in. They're also likely to be under video surveillance.

A very common setup in places like Boston is that there will be an outer door (which is always unlocked) which leads to an entry area with an inner door which is locked. You need to be buzzed in (or have a key) to get through the inner door, but anyone can walk into the entry area. The article I had read (which admittedly I did not read very carefully) seemed to imply that he was killed in that area.

I can't say I've ever seen a situation where that would pose an an actual barrier. People are always propping doors or letting someone through at the same time as them.

My own experience as a missionary who did door to door tracting in apartment buildings: just start ringing random apartments and you'll find someone who will buzz you in without even talking to you

Wildly speculating here, but if he knew/recognised the person (who had waited for him to show up) then he might bring them into the foyer with him.

But this is all armchair detective theorising at present,.

most multi-unit buildings require a key, and guests have to be buzzed in.

Is that an actual barrier, or a polite fiction? I've definitely seen people follow others into apartment buildings, or enter as people are leaving, or bypass the lock in other ways. I don't think it's a substantial barrier on the scale of an assassination.

Depends on the building. If it's a large building with a transient population, you can walk in behind someone and act like you live there and they won't question it. But it looks like this was a small building, and if a professor lives there there's a greater chance that it's the kind of place people stay a while. From the pictures it looks like there are maybe four apartments per entrance. In a building like this, it's probable that everyone knows their neighbors, which makes surrepetitiously entering much more difficult.

Indeed, particularly in the age of DoorDash and Amazon, there are always delivery people coming in and out at all hours. It’s completely trivial to tailgate into the building behind one of them.