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| Anthony Nazaire (Left) Facebook |
Anthony Nazaire, 20, was killed and another student suffered non-life threatening injuries during the Sunday morning fight that broke out around 1:50 a.m., according to the Ithaca Voice.
More than 100 people witnessed the melee, which happened just blocks from the Ivy League university in the popular nightlife area called Collegetown.
The surviving victim was airlifted to SUNY Upstate University Hospital where he was treated and released for multiple stab wounds.
Nazaire was declared dead at Cayuga Medical Center after emergency crews weren’t able to revive him at the scene.
“He’s never been in trouble with the law. He’s a very good student,” his distressed cousin, Channelle, told the website. “It’s very hard for me to even understand. I’m still in denial about it.”
She said Nazaire had just returned to Ithaca to start his sophomore year, where he was studying business administration on a full scholarship to the $40,658-a-year university.
“I cant even express how hurt I am but the pain that this person has cause my family to endure this is unbelievable this is a 19 year old educated well mannered young man full scholarship to a great college aspiring to gain his bachelors in business how could you rob him of his life how could you do this to us,” Channelle wrote on Facebook. “anthony i love you soooooooo much i wish i was there to help u i wish i could of saved u i just wish i could even see u one last time before this all shattered us into pieces.”
His death marks the first homicide in Ithaca in nearly five years.
Both Cornell and Ithaca College, which both started classes last week, are offering counseling to its students.
“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,” Ryan Lombardi, Cornell’s vice president for student at campus life, said in a statement.
