Following a large fight that broke out at a Cornell University event, one Ithaca College student has died and another is injured.
Police responded to reports of a large fight near Olin Hall, where two men had been stabbed. Officers recovered the weapon used and first responders treated the victims. One was rushed to Upstate Medical Center, while the other was treated at a local hospital. Ithaca College President Tom Rochon confirmed that both were students at the school and that one had passed away from his injuries.
Police identified the dead student as 19-year-old Anthony Nazaire. Nazaire was from Brooklyn and was a sophomore at Ithaca studying business administration. In a statement Rochon wrote, “He graduated from Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School, and at (Ithaca College) he was a member of the executive board of Brothers4Brothers, a student organization dedicated to empowering men of color on our campus.”
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The other student has been released from the hospital, but police have asked the school to not release his name. A homicide investigation is underway and police are encouraging any witnesses to come forward. Rochon added, “I hope you will hold these students — along with their families, friends, classmates, and professors — in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult and tragic time.”
Cornell’s vice president for student and campus life, Ryan Lombardi, also shared his concerns and thoughts about the incident, writing, “There is nothing more important than the safety of our community; as such, this incident is deeply disturbing. Please be sure to take care of yourselves and each other throughout the coming days.”