Cornell’s Jane Doe is terrified after armed police swarmed her parents’ home on Tuesday night following a fake call claiming a man had shot and killed his mother and sister. The incident came amid death threats, doxxing attempts and threatening calls against the woman, who has sued Cornell University and others alleging she was raped at a fraternity house in 2024.According to a report by CNN, her lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said police pointed guns at Doe’s father, brother and boyfriend after responding to the bogus emergency call. The FBI is also looking into the incident.“She’s scared,” Giuffra said on Wednesday. “I don’t think she’s in a good spot now.”
Police swarm home after fake shooting call
Police were called to Doe’s hometown at about 7pm Tuesday. The caller falsely claimed that a man had shot his mother and then his sister.An officer rushed to the family home believing there was an active shooter. He saw a car leaving the driveway and detained two men. They were later identified as Doe’s brother and boyfriend.Doe’s father then came out of the house.“I’m the dad. What’s going on?” he told police, according to the report.He also told officers that his daughter was the Jane Doe in the Cornell case. He said the family had been receiving threats.Giuffra said the incident could have turned deadly.“Luckily the brother was in his car, (he) put his hands up,” Giuffra said. “(Doe’s) boyfriend got thrown on the ground,” and her father also had “guns put in his face.”“If you had a trigger-happy cop, or somebody had done the wrong thing, somebody could have ended up dead,” he said.
Threats escalate after lawsuit
The swatting attack came after weeks of threats against Doe.Giuffra said his client has received dozens of threats since she filed her 101-page lawsuit in September.The lawsuit names Cornell, the Chi Phi fraternity, seven fraternity members and others. It alleges that fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted Doe in October 2024.It also alleges that members invited others to join the assault through a group chat. The seven students deny wrongdoing.Doe’s identity was redacted from the lawsuit. But online personalities have tried to uncover and publish her name.One person with a large following on X asked people to send him information identifying Doe. He later claimed he had identified her and said he posted the information before deleting it.Giuffra also said Doe received a text message on Monday containing three gun emojis.
‘Otherwise blood will be shed’
Doe received another threatening call shortly before police arrived at her home, according to her lawyer and police reports.She told officers she “began panicking” because her phone “wouldn’t stop ringing”.Giuffra’s wife also received a threatening call that night. It is unclear whether the calls were connected to the swatting attack.On Wednesday, Giuffra shared an audio recording with CNN of a call made to his office.A man identified himself as “the person who called your client”.“I’m telling you guys simply, I think you should advise your client to withdraw the case. Otherwise blood will be shed.”Giuffra said Doe was now so frightened that she was covering the windows of her parents’ home with paper.“She’s scared,” he said.
Doe’s life ‘derailed’
Doe had studied hotel administration at Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Her lawyer said attending Cornell had been her dream.She left the programme without graduating after the alleged assault.Earlier this year, she moved to New York City and tried to build a career in the hotel industry. She returned to her parents’ home after filing the lawsuit and facing intense public backlash.“The dream is lost,” Giuffra said.Doe now spends most of her time at home. She goes for walks and remains in contact with some Cornell friends.“She’s a little paranoid,” Giuffra said. “If she’s out of (the) safety zone of her family, she just doesn’t seem to function well.”Her mother has taken time off work to care for her.
Cornell faces growing anger
The case has also triggered protests at Cornell.Students held a seven-hour sit-in on Wednesday in solidarity with Doe. The university is facing scrutiny over its handling of her allegations.Cornell has appointed former acting US attorney general Sally Yates to investigate its handling of sexual assault claims.University president Michael Kotlikoff acknowledged the anger on campus during a meeting with the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly on Monday.“We’re all angry. I understand that anger,” Kotlikoff said, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. “People want easy answers to this.”Cornell has previously said the case raises “heartbreaking and troubling issues about sexual assault, dehumanization, and aspects of party culture, alcohol, and drug use.”Giuffra said Doe has also received messages of support from around the world.“The students up there (at Cornell) have been overwhelmingly supportive, and it’s wonderful,” he said. “They’re trying to effect change, and bringing out to the light something that’s been going on for generations.”
