On 02/26/2020 at 11:50 PM, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Agava Restaurant located on Pine Tree Road in the Town of Ithaca for a reported stabbing. Upon arrival, deputies learned that two people were stabbed during an altercation. Preliminary investigations indicate that during the altercation, a bystander, 21 year old Cornell student Nick Hudson, attempted to intervene and was subsequently stabbed. The altercation continued and another subject, 26 year old Daquan Graves, was stabbed before the suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction. A prior statement from the Cornell University Police indicated that a suspect vehicle, a white Nissan Altima, was later located unattended in Lansing. The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office does not have any information to substantiate this report.
The suspect is described as a black male, 5’8”- 5’10”, late 20’s to early 30’s, wearing a black leather jacket and a Chicago Bulls baseball hat. A photograph of the suspect and baseball hat have been included in this press release. The other male pictured in the photograph is a person of interest. Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the altercation can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (607) 257-1345 or the Sheriff’s Office confidential tip line at (607) 266-5420.
Hudson was transported to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and is in critical condition. Graves was transported to Robert Packer in Sayre, PA and is critical, but stable condition.
The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the New York State Police, Cornell University Police, Ithaca Police Department and Bangs Ambulance.
In a statement, John Carberry, Senior Director of Media Relations and News, Cornell University relayed that “Cornell was notified by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department that a Cornell student was stabbed while attempting to intervene during an altercation at a local restaurant last evening. Our prayers go out to our student and to the second victim of the attack, and to their families and friends. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (607) 257-1345 or the Sheriff’s Office confidential tip line at (607) 266-5420.”