Antisemite Student Charged with 3 Felonies
21 year old Seif Asi promised to shoot and kill a group of Jewish students; out on bond but prohibited from returning to campus
The UCF student arrested yesterday for threatening to shoot a group of Jews has been charged with three counts of felony intimidation.
The UCF Jewish Monitor can confirm that the criminal is Seif Idna Awni Mohammad Asi. He is 21 years old, a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent, and was released from the Orange County Jail after posting $15,000 in bonds. Sources on the ground told us that prior to his arrest, he was an ace student with a 4.0 GPA. He is reportedly banned from returning to campus.
An investigation of Seif Asi reveals that the apple does not fall far from the tree. His next of kin is listed as Aida Abud, who posted - on October 7th - an image of a fist rising above a Palestinian flag. One can assume that Seif Asi’s parents are very proud of their son following in Hamas’s footsteps on American soil.
Earlier today, Chief of Police Carl Metzger released a statement to the UCF community outlining the case. The text of his statement reads as follows:
University Community,
In October, President Cartwright shared with us a message condemning hate, violence, and antisemitism. Over the past several months, university leaders have engaged with students, student organizations, parents, and our community leaders to ensure we continue to build a strong campus climate of inclusion and belonging.
Yesterday, UCF Police were called to respond to a troubling situation — one that calls for an additional reminder to our community to reflect on the power of words, the importance of civility, and the need for respect for one another.
During an outdoor demonstration that was hosted in accordance with university policy, a group of students was confronted by another student upset by the nature of the demonstration. This individual went on to threaten the students, saying he was going to shoot them with a gun. This statement, a direct anti-Semitic threat, meets the federal definition of a hate crime.
The individual who made this reckless threat was arrested by UCF Police, and officers have confirmed that he does not own any firearms. While the student acknowledged his emotions got the better of him and apologized for his words, he will still have to answer for the violations of university policy and state and federal laws.
At UCF, we all have the right to free expression — but violence, threats of violence, and unlawful harassment will not be tolerated.
I hope our campus community will continue to come together to condemn hate and violence and to uphold the culture of compassion, understanding, and peace that we have all built together at UCF.
UCFPD is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone at UCF. Never hesitate to contact us 24/7 by calling 407-823-5555 with any safety concerns or 911 for an emergency.
According to the police report filed after the arrest, Seif Asi believed that the Jewish students and their allies were “supporting a genocide” and the “deaths of his family members in Palestine.” Seif also despised “seeing the Jewish supporters on UCF Campus.”
More details on the Seif Asi case will be made available as they become known. Additionally, sources on the ground tell us that the UCF PD is now actively investigating the January 19th death threat against UCF Jews, made by a student who expressed a desire to take part in a global massacre of Jews. The intervention of certain civil rights organizations may have played a role in reactivating the investigation.
Update 1/26/24: Seif Asi’s mugshot has been added to the article. Additionally, sources on the ground tell us that UCF PD remains reluctant to press charges against the other student who threatened to murder Jews. The incident has been escalated to FDLE and the FBI in the hopes that some action will be taken.
Finally, it was revealed to the Monitor that Chief Metzger’s statement was released only after massive pressure from a Jewish civil rights organization, and would not have been released otherwise.