Statement by Interim President Hunter R. Rawlings III

Sept. 28, 2016

Dear Cornell Community:

Earlier this evening, our community was once again jolted by an act of violence. An individual unaffiliated with Cornell, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed in the leg by as of yet unknown assailants off campus near the Stewart Avenue bridge. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he is being treated. All of our thoughts are with the victim as we wish him a full and speedy recovery.

The Ithaca Police Department (IPD), with the assistance of the Cornell University Police Department, responded immediately to secure the area. After an initial Emergency Message Notification was issued, directing all in the immediate vicinity to shelter in place, the police soon thereafter determined that the assailants had left the area, and an additional, “all clear” Emergency Message Notification was issued. Additional police patrols have been added to the area and will remain in effect until such time as they are no longer deemed necessary.

Tonight’s incident is particularly troubling as it comes a little more than four weeks after Ithaca College student Anthony Nazaire was murdered in a stabbing on Campus Road, an incident that is still actively being investigated.

One act of violence near our campus is one too many. I want to assure you that the safety of our campus community is our number one priority, and we are committed to doing all we can to assist the police in bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice, and to taking all available steps to promote the safety and security of our campus.

We will remain actively involved in assisting IPD with its investigations, and I will continue to communicate with you on this important issue over the coming weeks. I encourage you to check emergency.cornell.edu for updates and alerts.

Yours Sincerely,

Hunter R. Rawlings III
Interim President