NEW YORK CITY — Prosecutors in New York charged Jakhi Isaiah in the Columbia paint incident following his detention by federal authorities. Isaiah was charged for the Columbia University vandalism incident in July 2025.

The charges stem from an investigation that began after activists splattered red paint on Columbia University's Alma Mater statue on September 3, 2024. The protest occurred on the first day of fall semester classes at Columbia University. Maintenance crews removed all paint from the statue by the end of the day on September 3, 2024. Columbia University claimed the paint protest caused thousands of dollars in damage to the statue.

NYPD investigators used surveillance cameras and facial recognition software to identify a suspect in the vandalism. NYPD detectives used 21 different camera angles to track the suspect inside and outside Columbia University's campus. Surveillance footage tracked the suspect for more than two continuous hours surrounding the incident. The suspect on video footage during the vandalism was masked and wore a hat.

A camera captured an individual in similar clothing with their mask removed running down a nearby city street. NYPD detectives used facial recognition tools on the maskless image to generate a hit on Isaiah. A probable cause to arrest notice was issued for Isaiah following the facial recognition identification. Isaiah is a New Jersey-based activist whose legal last name is McCray.

Isaiah was arrested at an unrelated anti-ICE protest months after the vandalism incident. Isaiah was not charged or arraigned for the Columbia University incident at the time of his arrest at the anti-ICE protest. Columbia University’s public safety department asked the NYPD to terminate the investigation into the vandalism. Columbia University officials reversed their request to terminate the investigation less than a day later, citing a miscommunication.

In June 2025, Isaiah was accused of being the perpetrator behind a multi-car arson against NYPD vehicles at a Brooklyn precinct. Internal communications showed NYPD detectives stated the case had become federal due to the recent incident at the 83rd Precinct. Isaiah surrendered to police following a manhunt by federal law enforcement related to the arson fires.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service participated in a separate federal investigation into Isaiah. Isaiah pleaded guilty to one count of arson in federal court.

An NYPD report featured a list of 41 different associates suspected to be contacts of Isaiah or individuals he had been arrested alongside at protests. The number of camera angles used in the investigation, 21 different, is unrelated to the number of associates listed in the report.

The case illustrates the intersection of local and federal law enforcement efforts in addressing protest-related incidents. The use of facial recognition technology by NYPD detectives allowed for the identification of a suspect who was masked during the initial act of vandalism. This technological application led to a probable cause notice, though charges were not immediately filed.

The timeline of events shows a delay between the identification of the suspect and the formal charging decision. This delay coincided with a separate federal investigation into arson allegations. The involvement of federal agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service shifted the nature of the legal proceedings. The reversal of Columbia University's request to terminate the investigation shows the complex communication dynamics between university officials and law enforcement during ongoing probes.

Why It Matters

The case demonstrates how facial recognition technology can identify suspects who obscure their faces during protests, provided they are captured unmasked nearby. It also shows the complex interplay between local and federal law enforcement, where separate federal investigations can influence the timing and nature of local charges. Furthermore, the rapid reversal of the university's request to end the probe illustrates the volatile communication dynamics between institutions and police during ongoing inquiries.