ITHACA, NEW YORK: Twenty-one-year-old Cornell University student Patrick Dai has been arrested and charged with making vile and hateful anti-Jewish threats that put the prestigious Ivy League campus on high alert over the weekend.
Dai, a junior majoring in engineering, found himself at the center of a federal complaint that charged him with posting threats to kill or injure others using interstate communications, a crime that could lead to up to five years in prison. Ironically, the perp had allegedly served as a “Student Safety Officer” at the university.
Patrick Dai's disturbing messages
Dai, a native of Pittsford, New York, faced formal charges mere hours after New York State Police troopers identified him as a person of interest in the case.
The disturbing messages that Dai posted came just days after offensive "F**k Israel" graffiti was discovered scrawled on sidewalks at the Cornell University campus in upstate Ithaca, the New York Post reported.
These threats, which university officials revealed on Sunday, contained abhorrent content, including statements such as, "The genocidal fascist zionist regime will be destroyed," and "Rape and kill all the jew women before they birth more Jewish Hitlers."
In addition to these hateful remarks, Dai allegedly threatened to "shoot up 104 West," a university dining hall that predominantly serves Kosher diets, and to "slit the throat" of any Jewish men he came across.
His threats escalated to the point of suggesting he would behead Jewish babies and even threatened to "bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you" Jewish people, according to prosecutors.
Patrick Dai was scheduled to make his initial appearance in Syracuse federal court on Wednesday, November 1. If convicted, he could face a maximum of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The federal complaint filed against Dai included an admission of guilt.
"Dai admitted, after receiving Miranda warnings, that he was the person who used the internet to post the threatening messages described above," the complaint stated, citing an interview with the suspect conducted by the FBI earlier that day.
Investigators were able to trace the threatening communication back to Dai's unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, solidifying his connection to the hateful messages.
Cornell University's response to Patrick Dai's threats
Cornell University responded swiftly to this disturbing incident, confirming the arrest of the individual responsible for making antisemitic threats against Jewish students.
Joel M Malina, Cornell's vice president for university relations, stated, "Cornell University is grateful to the FBI for working so swiftly to identify and apprehend the suspect in this case, a Cornell student, who remains in custody. 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."
Regardless, the university was blamed on social media for fostering an "environment that allowed this to happen."
"Arresting one student is just the tip of the iceberg. What about the environment that allowed this to happen?" one critic posted on X.
"I think the environment was more than merely permissive. It’s more like a fostering environment, an incubator," another wrote.
"Cornell said that if he makes bond he’s the new DEI director," someone else quipped.
"Faculty with harmful ideas need to be looked into as well," another added.
Gov Kathy Hochul on hate remarks
Governor Kathy Hochul, who was actively involved in resolving the case, expressed her commitment to fighting hate and bias wherever it occurs.
"When I met with Cornell students yesterday, I promised them we would do everything possible to find the perpetrator," she declared. "Public safety is my top priority, and I’m committed to combatting hate and bias wherever it rears its ugly head."
Antisemitism and related incidents have been on the rise in recent times, particularly on college campuses, coinciding with global events such as the attacks on Israel by radical Hamas militants on October 7. These events have created tensions and hostilities that have spilled over into campuses across the state.
Governor Hochul has appointed Jonathan Lippman, a former chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, to review policies and procedures related to antisemitism and discrimination at City University of New York campuses in response to the growing problem.
“The problem didn’t begin with the weeks following the Oct. 7 attacks,” Hochul stated while making the announcement. “It’s been growing on a number of campuses and seen most acutely in the City University of New York."
