Madison Man Charged Following Fall 2023 Incident at Humanities

• Incident date: November 28, 2023, 12:00 am
• Incident type: Multiple Offenses
• Location/address: Humanities Building, UW-Madison Campus

A Madison man has been formally charged following an incident last fall inside the Humanities building on the UW-Madison campus.

On November 28, 2023, three men entered several rooms in Humanities and disrupted a student organization meeting. Students reported that the individuals made threats and racist comments and harassed them with profane language and other offensive conduct. The suspects were quickly identified, and it was determined that none were affiliated with UW-Madison.

Following a thorough investigation and a partnership with the FBI and the City of Madison Police Department, the primary suspect — Lukas Nowak, 20, Madison — has been formally charged for his actions in the incident. The charges are as follows:

• One count of Terrorist Threats – Public Panic or Fear (hate crime enhancer)
• One count of Disorderly Conduct, Use of a Dangerous Weapon (hate crime enhancer)
• Two counts of Disorderly Conduct (hate crime enhancer)

Nowak had his initial appearance for the charges on Monday, August 12, 2024. As part of his bail conditions, he is banned from the UW-Madison campus.