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Who are Patrick Dai's parents? Mom of Cornell student accused of making violent antisemitic threats

ITHACA, NEW YORK: Bing Liu is the mother of Cornell University student Patrick Dai, who is charged with federal offenses for making threats against Jewish students, while the identity of his father, a professor of optics at Tianjin University in China, remains unknown.

In an interview with the Democrat and Chronicle on Tuesday, November 7, Dai's mother talked through tears outside her Rochester, New York, home about how she was worried about her son's safety prior to his detention.

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The 21-year-old engineering student was taken into custody on October 31 after posting online threats about using an "assault rifle" to kill Jews and shoot up a dining hall that predominately serves Jewish students.

If found guilty of the federal crime of releasing threats to kill or harm another person, he is likely to face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

Patrick Dai has been suffering from severe depression since 2021

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The family has been affected by Patrick Dai's recent actions, as they have had to cope with their son's unanticipated behavioral shift. However, they have continued to support him and have shown their belief in his innocence.

His father, who is currently a professor in China and has worked at the University of Rochester in the past, claimed that the 21-year-old is currently dealing with acute depression, which has significantly impacted his mental health, as per Daily Mail.

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To the New York Post, he said, "My son is in severe depression. He cannot control his emotion well due to the depression. No, I don’t think he committed the crime," refusing to have his identity published.

Dai's parents claimed that after enrolling at Cornell as an engineering student in 2021, he fell into a profound depression. At the university, he oversaw logistics for the school's Science Olympiad and was a tutor for other engineering students.

They said that within a year, Dai underwent a significant transformation and took a break from his studies in an effort to heal. His parents maintain that he never showed violent intentions.

.@Cornell student Patrick Dai was arrested and charged for making online threats to k*ll, r*pe, and slit the throats of Jewish students.

Accord to his Linkedin, He worked as a “safety officer” at Cornell.

You can’t make this up. pic.twitter.com/qD5jRY5teN

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 1, 2023

 

Patrick Dai's mother feels his Lexapro prescription might have led to the threats

Patrick Dai, who has been described as "suicidal," was detained after he threatened to kill the Jews present on campus.

It appears that he made his violent threat online from his mother's house on October 28 and 29, where he spent his weekends because she "worried about his mental health."

His 53-year-old mother, Bing Liu, revealed that her son had been taking medication for several years to treat his severe depression.

Liu claimed that before her son's arrest, he had apologized on the internet for his offensive remarks, and she hoped that he had received more attention.

She stated, "Because I worry about his mental health, every Friday after his lessons … I went to Cornell to bring him back home, then I’d take him back Sunday night," as per the Democrat and Chronicle. 

Dai was at home with his mother and 15-year-old brother when the threats initially appeared online over the weekend.

Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old engineering student at Cornell University, faces federal charges after allegedly posting threats to kill Jewish students at the Ivy League school. pic.twitter.com/6FgIqo5V4K

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 1, 2023

 

His threats followed an antisemitic graffiti that surfaced on the Ithaca, New York, campus, which alarmed others after a lecturer declared that he apparently found the October 7 attack by Hamas to be "exhilarating."

Liu contended that her son's threats were partially caused by his use of the antidepressant Lexapro, which was possibly making him more depressed.

During the summer, Dai was prescribed Lexapro, an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) that treats depression. SSRIs elevate serotonin levels in the brain to uplift feelings and moods.

The drug can sometimes exacerbate sadness and even thoughts of suicide, particularly among young individuals. According to Liu, her son had been complaining that he was becoming worse from the medication.

With Dai facing five years in federal prison for posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications, she expressed concern that her son now has "no future."

Bing Liu chastised the Department of Justice for failing to acknowledge Patrick Dai's apology

Bing Liu went on to discuss her son's online apology for his threats and chastised the Department of Justice for failing to disclose it, asking, "Why didn’t they reveal this important piece of information? Also, why didn’t the school?"

A few hours after penning his online threat toward the Jewish community, Dai had apparently expressed regret, writing, "Apologies. There is no room for divisive statements in person or online. I am sorry." 

He further wrote, "A lesser man would try to hide behind a mask and that is exactly what I did. Shameful, calling for violence against people because of a cruel war a thousand miles away. Even more shameful because there is no excuse for the targeting of innocent civilians, much less my classmates."

His threats against his "innocent" classmates were described as "shameful" in the note, which was signed by "a depressed suicidal person."

Liu, who has a Star of David in her home and studied in Israel many years ago, said she was "shocked" to learn about her son's admitted threats and that she hasn't slept since.

She also expressed her concern that Dai, who is currently held at the Broome County Jail, might not be receiving adequate care for his depression.

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Lorie Orum

Update: 2024-05-22