Metropolitan Police arrested an Italian language professor Thursday for possession of suspected child pornography.

The faculty member was suspended by GW pending further investigation.

Diego Fasolini, 42, a part-time professor, was arrested in Rome Hall at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.

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

“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.”

Sherrard said Fasolini is currently suspended pending further investigation, and the classes he was teaching are being reassigned to other professors in the department.

Fasolini did not return a request for comment.