{
  "id": "2024-11-19-university-of-rochester-poster-investigation-arrests",
  "slug": "university-of-rochester-poster-investigation-arrests-2024-11-19",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Rochester",
    "shortName": "Rochester",
    "state": "NY",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Public Safety Messages",
    "enrollment": 12000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-11-19",
    "type": "other",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "resolved",
    "headline": "Arrests in antisemitic poster investigation on River Campus",
    "headlinePublic": "Arrests in antisemitic poster investigation on River Campus",
    "summary": "University of Rochester Public Safety [published a community message](https://www.rochester.edu/public-safety/arrests-made-as-part-of-poster-investigation/) on or about 2024-11-19. Full text is preserved from the official public safety site.",
    "outcome": "Arrests reported; see official notice for details.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "channel": "email",
      "timestampApprox": "Published on or about 2024-11-19",
      "verbatimText": "Dear University Community,\n\nToday, we began the arrests of four individuals on felony charges for their alleged involvement in distributing the antisemitic \"Wanted\" posters around River Campus, and an additional fifth person continues to be investigated. While I regret that this deeply disturbing incident took place on our campus, I am incredibly satisfied that through a thorough investigation we were able to identify those who are allegedly responsible and hold them accountable for the deliberate and deplorable actions targeted toward members of our University community, including members of our Jewish population.\n\nThe four individuals charged with felony criminal mischief are University students. I'd like to immediately address here why the actions taken against the students are criminal and not solely disciplinary. Consistent with the requirements of New York state's statutes (NYS Education Law, Article 129-A, Section 6430, and New York State Education Law; Section 6434), the University is committed to properly addressing and reporting any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health of members of our University community, as well as coordinating the investigation of such crimes with local law enforcement agencies. While it's sad when individuals engage in criminal conduct that is intimidating to others in classrooms and other facilities that they need to use while seeking an education or going to work, enforcement of the law is done for the protection of the community and in compliance with legal obligations of the institution.\n\nI also want to speak to this crime being treated as a possible hate crime at the state or federal level. From the very start of our investigation, DPS investigators collected all of the necessary evidence and made all of the needed inquiries to prompt a proper evaluation of this incident as a hate crime.  It's our current understanding that these actions do not meet the legal threshold for being a hate crime, according to the feedback we received from various law enforcement authorities who ultimately make the final determination. This status could possibly change over the course of the legal proceedings, however it is important to note that an action can be targeted and biased, as this was, without meeting the legal definition for prosecution as a hate crime.\n\nAgain, let me express my gratitude to our local law enforcement partners who have provided insight and attention to our successful investigative processes; our elected officials who",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.rochester.edu/public-safety/arrests-made-as-part-of-poster-investigation/",
      "sourceDescription": "University of Rochester Public Safety community message",
      "annotations": [
        "Transcribed from official rochester.edu/public-safety page body.",
        "Confirmed-verbatim recovery from live institutional source."
      ],
      "characterCount": 2557,
      "confidence": "high"
    }
  ],
  "context": "University of Rochester Department of Public Safety community messages archive.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Official public safety page preserves complete community message text."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "type": "official-archive",
      "title": "Arrests Made as Part of Poster Investigation",
      "url": "https://www.rochester.edu/public-safety/arrests-made-as-part-of-poster-investigation/",
      "accessDate": "2026-07-25"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "rochester",
    "public-safety",
    "community-message"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-25",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-25",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}