Another Avoidable Tragedy: The Killing of Davide Giri

In what is becoming a new normal for New York City, an intelligent grad student from Italy pursuing a PhD in computer science was stabbed to death — another senseless, preventable murder, allegedly by a ruthless career thug who was a gang member, with no future except committing crimes (“Silent Fright,” Dec. 4).

This tragedy was made possible by the brainless, ultra-liberal Democrats, who care more about criminals and their rights than about law-abiding citizens, who they choose to ignore.

The suspect, Vincent Pinkney, had a lengthy rap sheet and was out on parole and had no right to be walking the streets of New York City as a free man. He belonged in jail.

This is unacceptable behavior by politicians, and they need to be held accountable for ignoring their oaths of office.

Mike Pedano South Farmingdale

Unimaginable anguish will haunt the family of Columbia student Davide Giri, allegedly murdered by an accomplished mugger.

University President Lee Bollinger addressed Giri’s mourners. In this darkness, it would be most welcome if Bollinger also addressed the faculty and even hinted that their wokeness ignores such criminal evil.

David Bryant Easton, Conn.

What a tragedy. Another life cut short due to insane bail reform and a broken criminal-justice system.

The students and staff of Columbia demand more security, rightly so. I hope the woke community remembers this tragedy next time they’re demanding more social justice and the defunding of the police.

All of the politicians who support these radical ideas suggesting the criminals are the victims should remember the blood of the real victims is on their hands. Michael Murphy

Mahopac

What a tragedy! Our hearts go out to the family of Davide Giri. Adding extra security to the Columbia campus is not enough. Major crime reform must take place if families are to be willing to send their children into danger.

Who wants to pay upward of $80,000 a year to have their children be targets? J.J. Levine

Miami Beach, Fla.

Regarding “Students Demand Security” (Dec. 4), it is sad, ironic and unfortunately hypocritical that the many Columbia students demanding security in the wake of the horrific recent murders and assaults in Morningside Heights were the same students seeking to defund the police for purported social-justice reasons a year ago.

A brilliant and kind Italian Columbia student was viciously murdered, and others were attacked allegedly by a longtime gang member out on “supervised release” after a brutal assault, for which he served only four years.

It seems that our progressive leaders and the people who support them only awaken to the harsh reality that their “enlightened” policies are destroying the peace and security of the body politic when violence strikes at the doorstep of their ivory tower.

Marc E. Kasowitz

Manhattan

Students at Columbia University are now demanding more security around their campus due to a series of crimes committed there recently, including a murder.

I wonder how many of these students were the same ones marching with “defund the police” signs during the last two summers. Now they want more police presence in the area.

Which is it: Defund the police or be protected? You can’t have it both ways. Michael Englert

Queens

Students and staff of Columbia University are being victimized due to their own naivete. The fact is that Columbia security police their property very well.

New York City is not safe, and one should know better than to walk through a park alone. Donna Torres

Island Park