Cornell student charged with making threats to Jewish students on campus, feds say

Ithaca, N.Y. — A Cornell University junior was charged Tuesday with making threats against Jewish students on campus.

Patrick Dai, 21, of Pittsford, posted threats on Sunday to shoot up a multicultural dining room on campus to an online discussion site, prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York said in a news release Tuesday night.

The dining room, 104West!, serves food that meets Kosher, Halal and other religious guidelines. It’s next to the university’s Center for Jewish Living, where several dozen Jewish students live on campus.

Dai also called for the deaths of Jewish people and threatened to bring an assault rifle to campus, prosecutors said. He was charged with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications.

In one post, prosecutors said Dai 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. In that same post, he threatened to “bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig jews,” prosecutors said.

Dai faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted. He’s expected to be arraigned Wednesday in federal court in Syracuse, prosecutors said.

In a statement Tuesday night, Joel Malina, Cornell’s vice president for University Relations, said the university remains “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. 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.”

Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him: Email | Twitter or at 315-690-6950.