Cornell student arrested after antisemitic threats made against Jewish campus community

ITHACA, N.Y. — A 21-year-old Cornell University student was arrested on Tuesday for posting threats online against Jewish students at the university over the weekend, the Department of Justice said.

Patrick Dai, a junior at Cornell University who is originally from Pittsford, New York, was arrested on a "federal criminal complaint charging him with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications," according to the Justice Department. If convicted, Dai faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.

Dai is expected to make his first appearance in federal court in Syracuse, New York, on Wednesday, the Justice Department said.

The antisemitic messages posted on a fraternity and sorority forum alarmed students, prompting a response from police and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The anonymous threats were the latest in a surge of antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents across the nation since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

University officials and Hochul confirmed earlier Tuesday that a person of interest was in the custody of state police for questioning.

"We remain shocked by and condemn these horrific, antisemitic threats and believe they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We know that our campus community will continue to support one another in the days ahead," Joel M. Malina, vice president for university relations, said in a statement Tuesday night. “Cornell Police will maintain its heightened security presence on campus as the university continues to focus on supporting the needs of our students, faculty and staff.”

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Antisemitic messages included threat to kill Jews on campus

Cornell President Martha E. Pollack said in a statement Sunday that there were a series of "horrendous, antisemitic messages" made against the university's Jewish community, specifically naming the address of a student-run Jewish organization. 

The menacing posts were left on a Greek life website that is not affiliated with the school in Ithaca, New York, about 227 miles northwest of New York City.

According to the complaint, Dai allegedly posted threats to kill Jewish people and that he was going to shoot up Cornell's Center for Jewish Living and kosher dining hall. In one post, the complaint alleges that Dai said he would “bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig jews.”

In that same post, the complaint said Dai also "allegedly threatened to 'stab' and 'slit the throat' of any Jewish males he sees on campus, to rape and throw off a cliff any Jewish females, and to behead any Jewish babies."

Dai is an engineering student, according to the school newspaper, the Cornell Sun. The newspaper reported Tuesday that the FBI, New York State Police, campus police and Ithaca Police Department had raided an apartment shortly before 6 p.m.

While the university didn't close the dining hall or initiate any lockdown procedures, New York State Police and the Cornell University Police Department had increased patrols and security for Jewish students and organizations. Pollack added that the FBI was also notified of a potential hate crime.

Cornell Hillel, a center for Jewish life on campus, also issued a statement condemning the threats and advised students and staff to avoid the building "in an abundance of caution."

According to the university's Hillel chapter, there are about 3,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate Jewish students at Cornell, making up about 22% of the student body. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul met with Cornell students Monday

The threats prompted a campus visit by Hochul. On Monday, Hochul held a roundtable discussion with students at Cornell's Center for Jewish Life.

"When I met with Cornell students yesterday, I promised them New York State would do everything possible to find the perpetrator who threatened a mass shooting and antisemitic violence on campus," Hochul said in a statement. 

Hochul also held a news conference Monday alongside Pollack, state and local police, and some Jewish students. The governor reiterated that authorities will not tolerate "any kind of hatred," adding that perpetrators will be prosecuted for the threats made.

"Public safety is my top priority and I'm committed to combatting hate and bias wherever it rears its ugly head," Hochul said in a statement Tuesday.

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Spike in hate incidents across United States

Reports of hate crimes against both Jews and Muslims have climbed since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has left thousands of people dead on both sides.

On Oct. 24, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released preliminary data showing a nearly 400% increase in reported antisemitic incidents in the United States.

"ADL recorded a total of 312 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7-23, 2023, 190 of which were directly linked to the war in Israel and Gaza," the organization said in a news release. "By comparison, during the same period in 2022, ADL received preliminary reports of 64 incidents, including four that were Israel-related."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations reported on Oct. 25 that it has recorded more than 770 complaints, including reported bias incidents, from Muslims nationwide since Oct. 7. The organization said in a news release that "the numbers likely do not represent all cases."

The Israel-Hamas war has also riled up college campuses across the country, where rising tensions among campus communities have sparked protests and free speech battles that have caused backlash for college administrations.

Contributing: The Associated Press