San Jose State University graduate student faces federal charges for bomb threats, hateful graffiti

By CBS Bay Area

The U.S. Justice Department has identified a San Jose State University graduate student suspected in multiple incidents of hateful graffiti and bomb threats found on the university campus.

Ziheng “Tony” Fang was arrested in May on a federal charge of false information and hoaxes after authorities said he vandalized multiple campus buildings and public spaces with hateful and threatening messages. The 30-year-old Fang made his initial court appearance on Friday and was scheduled to appear on Monday for the identification of counsel, although the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California did not confirm whether the proceeding was held as scheduled.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, between October 2024 and May 2026, SJSU’s Police Department recorded more than 20 instances of hateful messages in men’s and gender-neutral restrooms around the SJSU campus. Many of these messages included threats specifying a particular date that an attack was allegedly intended to take place, as well as the weapons and methods that would be used, including mass bombings and shootings.

Hate speech in the messages targeted Jewish and Muslim people, ‘Libs’, and people of Asian or Mexican heritage. Some had swastikas drawn on them and used slurs in reference to Asian people. Others advised white people to “stay home” on the days referenced, and used slogans to indicate support for President Donald Trump, such as “Trump 2024,” or “MAGA 2028.”

Read the complaint (warning: disturbing content)

According to the complaint, the messages and alleged threats caused fear and academic disturbances to the campus community. Professors and students were given the choice whether to hold or attend classes, respectively, and campus buildings on the dates specified in the messages were a “ghost town,” campus police said. 

SJSU threats investigation involved surveillance cameras, card key data

In order to identify a possible suspect, campus police installed surveillance cameras outside of university restrooms. These cameras collected footage that prosecutors say shows Fang entering and exiting the restrooms where the messages were later found – within a day before their discovery, according to the complaint. Additionally, one message was found to have a fingerprint that positively matched Fang, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

Using staff and student key card access data, investigators identified Fang as the cardholder who entered buildings the most in the days leading up to when the messages were discovered. The data also showed he entered areas where he had no classes or at times when no classes had recently ended or started, the affidavit said.

Campus police eventually made contact with Fang, who voluntarily agreed to meet with officers on May 20. According to the affidavit, Fang agreed with police that he was in campus buildings at the times identified by authorities but did not say why he was there. Fang also said he did not know anything about how the graffiti got there or who was doing it, the complaint said.

SJSU student’s social media postings

Fang also allegedly told campus police that he had previously reported some of the graffiti to campus staff. Fang said that he posted a photo of the graffiti on his TikTok – not to be offensive, but to express his shock at its content. Fang added that the post was later taken down by TikTok, and he said he assumed that it was reported by another user because of its content. Campus police said they have no record of staff receiving a report of hate graffiti by Fang. 

Investigators say they found that Fang’s public social media accounts contained content expressing anti-ICE, pro-immigration, anti-MAGA, and pro-Palestine views, the affidavit said. Authorities added that Fang’s profile on TikTok includes the label “100% woke” and his Snapchat and Facebook profiles have the label “activist” and “social justice activist” in their respective bios. Fang also has a rainbow flag in his profile on Threads, the affidavit states.

Fang is currently in federal custody. He could face up to five years in prison if convicted, including three years of supervised release, and/or a $250,000 fine