Stabbing on West
According to rumours and an eyewitness report of “a mass of blood right outside my balcony and a trail of blood all the way down the stairs” just outside of Baker Tower on West, we believe a student was stabbed earlier tonight. The victim has been taken to the hospital, condition and identity unknown. More when we know it.
Update:
Julie Geng sent us this news 10 story:
University police say a white male stabbed a black male student at Cornell’s Baker Tower archway on West Avenue. The suspect had reportedly been yelling racial remarks leading up to the stabbing.
Update 2:
Now that the incident has become a possible political scandal because of racial bias, Rawlings has issued a statement:
“The Cornell community is stunned to learn of the stabbing allegedly carried out by one of its students early Saturday morning on campus. We extend our heartfelt feelings of concern and support to the Union College student who was injured in the incident, and wish him a speedy and complete recovery.
“While we are all relieved to learn that the alleged perpetrator is in custody, the crime and the circumstances leading up to it are deeply disturbing to all of us. Now that the matter is in the hands of the judicial system, we are confident that the law enforcement authorities will conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that justice is done in this case.
“I have requested the Cornell University administration to monitor closely the case as facts continue to unfold and to pursue actively this matter through campus means.”
There should be a note in the morning report tomorrow, and hopefully the SUN will carry a story. However, since this year, unlike the Ludacris concert incident, the victim is black, we should have no trouble properly labelling it a hate crime.
Update 3:
Nathan H. Poffenbarger has been arraigned in Ithaca Court today (Sunday), after being charged with felony assault. Apparently, he is a 20 year old ILR (Industrial and Labour Relations) student. He does not appear to have a Facebook or Cornell directory profile.
Nathan has written for Turn Left, a liberal Cornell student publication. In an article titled Campaigning for Corzine in New Jersey we may see the nascent seeds of violent racism:
I usually end up just trying to describe the building. “It’s the big white one, ya know? People stand out on the balcony a lot.”
He has written several other articles for Turn Left. His permanent residence appears to be a southern farm in Maryland:
Mary & John Poffenbarger
Lock Farm
10703 Coppermine Road
Woodsboro, MD 21798
(301) 845-6944
This may also explain the racial motivation.
Update 4:
The victim, Charles Holiday, is a senior at Union College. According to the Cornell Daily Sun, he was stabbed below his right shoulder, puncturing the lung. Holiday is in stable condition and recovering in Elmira. For more information, please see the following Sun articles:
Update 5:
Is this Washington Post picture Nathan H. Poffenbarger? We know he’s a transfer sophomore at Cornell, so the timeline appears consistent:
Update 6:
In an update on the stabbing case, Poffenbarger has posted bail today (Feb. 22), which was set at $20,000 cash / $40,000 bond. Because of this, the preliminary hearing today has also been cancelled. For now, the Cornell University Police have issued an injunctive barring Poffenbarger from the campus. According to Rawlings’ memo, he is on track for expulsion. Tonight at 7 PM, there will be a meeting to further discuss the University response to this incident, in the Memorial Room of WSH.
| This entry was posted on Saturday, February 18th, 2006 at 1:51 am and is tagged with law enforcement authorities, political scandal, cornell community, baker tower, heartfelt feelings, felony assault, cornell university, racial bias, poffenbarger, labour relations, racial remarks, eyewitness report, report tomorrow, trail of blood, geng, complete recovery, archway, university police, university administration, hate crime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback. |
8 Responses to “Stabbing on West”
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The student who was stabbed was a 22-year old Union College-student visiting capmus.
I think that the messages posted here are based upon the typical, and uninformed, brats that seem to be the majority inhabitants on the CU campus. You just can’t believe that your racists attitudes and actions can be limited if not, at some point, eradicated.
Please, grow up!
MMT
Why would you or anyone post the home address of the suspect? He is not there, this will only hurt his family who I am sure is going through one of the worst times of it’s life now. Furthermore speculating that he is from a farm in southern maryland is ridiculous, being a maryland resident Woodsboro is located in northern maryland almost in pennsylvania, and has no relation to “racism” or anything of that sort, sure it is “country” farm area, but how does that equate to “racial motivation?!?!?!”
You should be ashamed of yourself posting the home address of the student’s family. To make such assumptions about a person based on facts that have nothing to do with the case. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I fail to see the connection between racism and the following quote: “I usually end up just trying to describe the building. “It’s the big white one, ya know? People stand out on the balcony a lot.”
The writers of this updates are trying desperately to connect this crime to racism and show that the perpetrator had a violent past.
Furthermore, the only people making improper assumptions about different kinds of people are the writers of these updates. Just because someone resides in the “south”, in the country, does not automatically make them a racist.
I find this presumptive and completely inappropriate.
I know Mr. Poffenbarger personally as I served with him on the Student Government Association at Frederick Community College(prior to his transfer to Cornell). I made the unfortunate mistake of giving Nathan a lovely jack russel terrier which he killed with a gun shortly thereafter. Although this incident happened more than a year ago, it surely is evident that this young man has a history of violent behavior. The Frederick Co. Police did not prosecute Mr. Poffenbarger for animal abuse. I can only hope justice is served in Ithaca for this obvious act of hatred against another human being. Lastly, perhaps this will be a wake up call to law enforcement that crimes against animals be taken more seriously as they often open the flood gates to more heinous crimes against people.
Peple dont realize that most people are racist or at least have some racist tendencies. A few racist comments do not make you racist.
please never pull the race card… ever, its retarded (i am prejudiced against people who are retarded, sorry retards)
this is a pretty sweet blog btw, respect
Everyone reading these articles about Nathan obviously doesnt know Nathan. Nathan used to live up the street from me before he went to Cornell, he is very close with my family. Im not saying that what he did is right and in fact it is very wrong, but he is a good guy, who made a bad mistake. Nathan has put a damper on the rest of his life. You guys that talk **** about him (lily) are comletley ignorant. I bet you have never even met nate and i dont believe for a second that he shot your dog. go to hell