Former UC Davis student arrested, charged with murder for stabbings

The Davis Police Department arrested and detained a suspect on Wednesday, May 3, in the recent stabbing incidents in Davis, California.

The former UC Davis student, Carlos Dominguez, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and three counts of use of a deadly or dangerous weapon, The California Aggie reported.

The arrest and charges follow the stabbing of three members of the Davis community in the span of five days. The first two victims were killed, while the third was severely injured from the attack.

According to Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel, the Davis Police Department received about 15 tips from community members who said they spotted ​​Dominguez near Davis’ Sycamore Park — the location where the second victim, UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm, was killed on April 29.

“We arrested [​​Dominguez] first for possessing a large knife that was on him when we picked him up that was consistent with what we were looking for based on evidence from the first homicide,” Pytel told The California Aggie. “We placed him under arrest on two counts of homicide and one count of attempted murder.” 

​​According to UC Davis, Dominguez was a third-year student who was separated from the school for “academic reasons” a week prior to his arrest. Dominguez pleaded not guilty to all charges. 

Judge Daniel Wolk denied bail for the defendant, despite initial considerations of a $4 million bail.

“The defendant is not entitled to bail given the circumstances of the case,” District Attorney Matt De Moura said. “When the court were to consider the facts and circumstances of the case and presume them to be true for purposes of bail, they are of such an egregious and dangerous nature to the community that it took two lives and almost cost a third person her life.” 

​​Dominguez is to remain in custody while awaiting trial. A pre-hearing conference is set for 9 a.m. on May 22.

Brandeis Center sues UC Berkeley for CPRA violation

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed a lawsuit on April 26 against UC Berkeley, alleging that the school violated the California Public Records Act, The Daily Californian reported.

The violation follows the Brandeis Center filing several California Public Records Act requests to obtain documents related to antisemitism and zionism, and the university allegedly failed in its duty to make the documents “promptly available.” 

“We want a full understanding of what the situation is before we do anything about it,” general counsel for the Brandeis Center Rachel Lerman told The Daily Californian. “It is part of civil rights to be able to get access to government documents and that’s what California promises us and has very strong rules about that.”

The documents the Brandeis Center requested include files related to a bylaw that the organization Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine adopted, which states that the group would not bring in speakers who support zionism. Several other campus groups adopted the bylaw.

The Brandeis Center first requested these documents in December 2022. 

Other items the Brandeis Center requested include writings and discussions of Berkeley Law administrators, Berkeley Law offices and UC Berkeley’s Office of the Chancellor relating to the bylaw, as well the records of the UC Berkeley student Senate’s Feb. 6 and Feb. 15 meetings, in which the Senate discussed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism.

Campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof said the university believes it is adequately responding to the Brandeis Center’s requests.

“We believe the campus is complying with its obligation to respond to the requests from the Brandeis Center, which initially requested the production of thousands of documents,” Mogulof said in an email to The Daily Californian. “We will continue to do so, irrespective of the filing of the lawsuit.”

A version of this article appeared on p. 2 of the May 11, 2023, print edition of the Daily Nexus.

Alex Levin

Alex Levin (he/him) is the University News Editor for the 2023-24 school year. Previously, Levin was the Assistant News Editor for the 2022-2023 school year. He can be reached at alexlevin@dailynexus.com.