Acting on an anonymous tip, Cornell Police have charged two freshman students with reckless endangerment in connection with an April Fools' Day prank in which the students allegedly placed a dummy at the bottom of Cascadilla Gorge, resulting in a full emergency response by several campus and city safety units.

The students are Samir Kumar and Roman A. Gelfer; both are 18 years old and reside on campus. They were charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree by Investigator Ellen Brewer on April 10. They are scheduled to appear in Ithaca City Court on April 16. Both also have been referred to the campus Judicial Administrator.

"This was a totally irresponsible act that caused unnecessary risk for emergency response teams, as well as the community as a whole," said William G. Boice, director of Cornell Police. "This type of prank will not be tolerated and will be dealt with firmly."

The incident occurred the morning of April 1, after passers-by reported spotting what looked like a body at the bottom of Cascadilla Gorge near the footbridge behind Hollister Hall. The report triggered a full emergency response involving Cornell Police, Cornell Environmental Health and Safety's 418 Team, Ithaca Fire Department, Ithaca Police and Bangs Ambulance. Two Ithaca Fire Department personnel rappelled into a dangerous, icy gorge to retrieve the "body," which turned out to be a dummy.

At that time, Cornell Police requested persons with information about the incident to contact the department.

"We are grateful for the help we received from the campus community in investigating this incident," Boice said.