This morning, a deceased person was found near Ezra’s Tunnel. The individual’s identity and cause of death are unknown.
The Cornell Review reached out to the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD) for comment, however, they transferred our call to the Cornell Media Relations Office. The office did not answer the phone.
Dakota Johnson, a staff writer for the Cornell Review and a student at Cornell’s School of Hotel and Administration, noticed the increased police presence when he was walking to Collegetown.
“When I stepped out of my house, I was on my way to Collegetown. Before I got to the end of my street, I saw four police cruisers go by, two or three EMS cruisers, a firetruck, and a regular ambulance,” said Johnson.
“I called one of my friends who lives in the house with me and he said he would try to find out what’s going on. About ten or fifteen minutes later, I get a text saying that they found a dead body in the gorge near Ezra’s Tunnel,” he continued.
Upon returning home, Johnson saw a body bag surrounded by police officers in the middle of the road.
Both CUPD and Ithaca Police were present at the scene. More details will be posted as they become available.
UPDATE (11:10pm): The body is reported to belong to a 19 year old man.
UPDATE (May 9th): Phillip Zukowski ’23 has been identified as the deceased man. The Ithaca Police Department is conducting an investigation into the circumstances of his death. As per a university email sent earlier this morning, anyone who was in the area of N. Willard Way and Ezra’s Tunnel between the hours of 1 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 8 is asked to contact the Ithaca Police Department at 607-330-0000 or by using the anonymous tip form at www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips.
