Family of Flatbush Student Slain on Cornell Campus is Fundraising for Funeral Costs

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — An online fundraiser has brought in more than $17,000 to help pay the funeral costs of Anthony Nazaire, the 19-year-old Ithaca College student stabbed to death on Cornell University's campus in late August.

"Anthony was a loving, caring, helpful, devoted, hardworking young man who was working on achieving his bachelors in business," Nazaire's family wrote on the fundraiser's GoFundMe page. "Any donation we receive would mean the world to us as this tragedy was so unexpected we never expected to be burying Anthony but to actually be waiting to attend his graduation."

Nazaire's funeral took place this past weekend. The victim's family members are hoping to raise $25,000 through their online effort, which started on Aug. 30.

The high-achieving student was reportedly stabbed during a fight following a party on Cornell's campus, though the circumstances of the killing remain unclear. Anthony's sister Kiara told Patch in August that her brother "doesn't get in any altercations" and that the situation leading to his death "could have been prevented."

The case is being investigated by the Ithaca Police Department. Department spokesman Jaime Williamson said Monday that between 20 and 30 detectives are working their way through about 200 leads, though no arrests have been made.

Asked for additional details, Williamson said the investigation was "progressing along very well" but added that there were "no new updates" to provide.

[H/T Ditmas Park Corner]

Pictured at top: a memorial for Anthony Nazaire outside his family's Flatbush home. Photo by John V. Santore