Oregon man arrested for fake bomb threats to Jewish hospitals in NYC

An Oregon man, Domagoj Patkovic, 31, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly making fake bomb threats targeting Jewish hospitals and care centers in New York City and Long Island. Prosecutors report that between May and September 2021, Patkovic made at least six threatening phone calls to various Jewish medical facilities, including those in Queens and Nassau County, as well as a care center network across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Using multiple aliases, Patkovic claimed to have planted bombs or C-4 explosives at these locations, often employing anti-Semitic slurs during his calls. Notably, he live-streamed these threats on platforms like Discord. The threats prompted local police to conduct bomb sweeps, with one hospital in Long Island going into lockdown and partially evacuating due to a September 2021 threat. Fortunately, no explosives were ever found. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace condemned Patkovic's actions, stating that he and his co-conspirators acted out of hatred for Jewish people, creating chaos and endangering the safety of patients and staff. Peace emphasized the commitment to protecting community members and prosecuting such dangerous threats to the fullest extent of the law. Patkovic faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to make threats about explosives and transmitting threatening communications. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 155 years in prison. As of now, there is no information available regarding his legal representation.