What to know about the Cornell senior who carried a rifle near SU
Cornell student Mateu Healey-Parera was charged with criminal possession of a weapon on SU campus. The incident sparked a multi-agency investigation, and Healey-Parera is currently in a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program. Tara Deluca | Asst. Photo Editor
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On March 8, Mateu Healey-Parera, carrying a tan rifle case, walked by Syracuse University’s Schine Student Center and waited for a bus back to Ithaca.
After someone called the police, a multi-agency investigation ensued into the Cornell University senior who said he brought the weapon to protect himself against United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Healey-Parera was found with a .30-06 Rock Island 1905 rifle equipped with a scope and two boxes containing 40 rounds of ammunition, Syracuse Chief of Police Mark Rusin said in a press conference.
Healey-Parera, charged with criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, was taken into custody that day.
What’s happened since his arrest
Healey-Parera appeared in court for his arraignment on March 8, pleading not guilty. A judge set his bail at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond, and was paid by a relative, CNY Central reported.
The incident sparked an investigation with the FBI and law enforcement agencies from Syracuse and Ithaca. According to an affidavit written by Syracuse Police Department officer William Clayton, obtained by syracuse.com, Healey-Parera told Clayton he would use the rifle to shoot an ICE agent as a “last resort” if they were to come to his home in Ithaca.
The Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office said Healey-Parera is currently in a comprehensive psychiatric emergency program, CNY Central reported.
Healey-Parera’s defense argues he did nothing wrong as he legally purchased the weapon. He purchased the rifle and ammunition at Intimidator Sports in Nedrow that same day after taking the bus from Ithaca, syracuse.com reported.
In addition to his trespassing charge, Healey-Parera has also been issued a formal trespass notice, permanently banning him from all SU property.
Authorities are seeking to administer an extreme risk protection order that would prevent Healey-Parera from purchasing or possessing a firearm, and a temporary order was granted on Sunday, 607 News Now reported.
This Friday, he has a final ERPO hearing scheduled in the state Supreme Court in Ithaca.
His time at Cornell
Healey-Parera is a Cornell senior majoring in urban, community and regional planning, a member of the Spanish Debate Society and the Salsa Pa’lante dance performance team.
On his LinkedIn, he described himself as a “curious thinker drawn to theory and practice especially with problems that require a diverse coalition for a comprehensive answer.” He also worked as a part-time FedEx package handler from September 2021 to August 2025, according to his LinkedIn.
A month ago, Healey-Parera, who is also a dual citizen of Spain and the U.S., reposted a Cornell-sponsored event on his LinkedIn for an ICE virtual career expo. In the post, he said he “should be furious” about the career event, but has come to expect similar scenarios.
