The Cornell student who sparked fear on the Ivy League campus after allegedly threatening to “rape” Jewish students and “cut throats” was handcuffed and stone-faced as he was arraigned in Syracuse Wednesday afternoon.
Patrick Dai, 21, an engineering student at an upstate New York school, entered the courtroom wearing an orange Broom County jail jumpsuit, strapped to the ankles and a blank expression on his face.
Dai waived his right to a detention hearing and was ordered held without bail before being transferred to the custody of the US Marshalls.
His mother, who claimed her son was emotionally disturbed and innocent, was present in the courtroom.
The engineering student has been accused of posting a series of threats to internet message boards under usernames such as “Hamas Fighter,” “Honorable Hamas,” and “evil Jews.”
The student then begged classmates to remove Jewish “rats” from campus, according to an indictment from the US Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
Patrick Dai, 21, allegedly admitted posting the violent threats after he was arrested Tuesday
Dai allegedly threatened to “bring an assault rifle onto campus” and “shoot up 104 West,” a campus dining hall that specializes in halal food.
Other threats allegedly included a plan to “rape and kill all Jewish women before they give birth to more Jewish Hitlers,” according to the indictment.
After being arrested and read his rights Tuesday, Dai allegedly admitted to posting the threats, according to the criminal complaint.
He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on charges of sending threats to kill or injure another person using interstate communications.
Dai’s threat horrified Jewish students across Cornell’s Ithaca campus, where tensions have been running high for weeks following Hamas’ bloody attacks on Israel and the Jewish homeland’s forceful response.
Dai’s mother, who was present in court, said her son was emotionally troubled and innocent. State Police Stephen Yang have been deployed outside the Cornell Center for Jewish Life after violent threats against Jews appeared online.AP Broome County sheriff’s van leaves the courthouse Wednesday.Stephen Yang
“In the last three weeks, we’ve all felt a lot of emotions,” student Josh Rosenheim told Fox News Digital. “We are very sad, very sad, depressed, sometimes angry and a little scared.
“But this is the first time, I think, that the student was legitimately scared.”
Dai’s parents insisted their son was not responsible for the post, and that his actions were beyond his control.
“My son suffers from severe depression. He could not control his emotions well because of depression. No, I don’t think he committed the crime,” his father told The Post via text, asking not to be named.
The father explained Dai suffered severe depression in 2021 after starting his studies at Cornell, and said his son had previously been a high achiever and helpful.
Threats have been posted under usernames like “kill jews”X/cbouzy
Dai stopped communicating with his parents in the days before the threats were made, prompting them to rush to campus out of fear that he might harm himself.
“My wife called him or texted him many times but got no response. He was worried he might kill himself and drove to his apartment to see what was going on,” his father said.
By the time they arrived on campus, he had been arrested. Dai’s father said he did not believe his son was responsible for the post, but that his depression was somehow linked to the threat.
Outside court on Wednesday, Dai’s mother covered her face and avoided reporters by exiting through a back door.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
