Metropolitan police arrested an Italian language professor Thursday for possession of suspected child pornography. The faculty member was suspended by GW pending further investigation, a University spokeswoman confirmed Friday.

Diego Fasolini, a part-time professor, was arrested in Rome Hall at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening, according to Metropolitan Police Department records.

“A George Washington University technical support analyst found suspected child pornography on an external hard drive owned by a part time faculty member who had asked the analyst for technical assistance with the drive,” University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said. ” The analyst notified the University Police Department which immediately alerted the Metropolitan Police Department.”

Fasolini taught two Italian courses this fall, according to the Department of Romance, German, and Slavic Languages and Literatures’ website.

“The faculty member is being suspended pending further investigation and his classes are being reassigned,” Sherrard said.

Fasolini did not return a request for comment and further police reports were not available Friday afternoon.