By Forum Staff
On Tuesday, an indictment was unsealed in federal court charging Domagoj Patkovic with conspiring to make and making threats concerning explosives, conspiring to transmit and transmitting threatening communications, and conveying false information concerning explosives, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
Patkovic, 31, was arrested Tuesday morning at his residence in Portland, Ore. and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim Yu in U.S. District Court of Oregon later that day.
As set forth in the indictment and in court filings, beginning at least as early as May 2021, the defendant and others made anonymous phone calls in which they made violent threats, including threats to detonate explosive devices, to Jewish hospitals and care centers within the Eastern District of New York—including Queens facilities—among other targets throughout the United States.
The eight-page indictment details many overt acts allegedly perpetrated by Patkovic, including:
- On or about May 18, 2021, Patkovic made violent threats on a call to Victim-1, a Jewish hospital located in Queens. During the call, Patkovic stated that he planted bombs around the hospital and wanted to “kill all k***s.”
- On or about May 18, 2021, Patkovic made violent threats on a call to Victim-2, a Jewish care center network with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. During the call, Patkovic stated that “bombs are all over your facility and all those k***s are gonna go skyrocket up into the sky for Allah.”
- On or about May 24, 2021, Patkovic made violent threats on a call to Victim-1. During the call, Patkovic stated that he planted bombs around the hospital and further stated, “I’m gonna kill you k***s.”
- On or about Sept. 15, 2021, Patkovic made violent threats on a call to Victim-3, a Jewish hospital located in Queens. During the call, Patkovic stated that he placed backpacks containing C-4 explosives around the hospital building.
- On or about Sept. 15, 2021, Patkovic made violent threats on a call to Victim-4, a Jewish hospital located in Nassau County. During the call, Patkovic identified himself as “Abrahimavich” and stated that he had placed “C-4 in maintenance closets” at the hospital. Patkovic further stated, “I’m gonna blow you to bits you f^^^ing b***h.”
The defendant himself made threats in at least six separate calls to hospitals and on a call with local law enforcement who had responded to a 911 notification from one of the hospitals. The defendant livestreamed the calls to others on a social media and electronic communications service. On several occasions, local police responded to the scene and conducted bomb sweeps. On at least one occasion in September 2021, the hoax bomb threat resulted in a partial evacuation and lockdown of an entire hospital on Long Island. No explosive devices were ultimately found in any of the locations.
“As alleged, the defendant and his coconspirators, motivated by their hatred of Jewish people, targeted Jewish hospitals and care centers in New York City and on Long Island with hoax bomb threats, needlessly endangering patients and staff by creating chaos and alarm,” said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. “Our highest priority is ensuring all members of our community are protected and we will use all resources possible to prosecute dangerous bomb threats and swatting schemes to the fullest extent of the law.”
