Who killed Davide Giri? NYC knifeman Vincent Pinkney is member of Every Body Killas gang
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A 25-year-old man has been arrested by police for the brutal murder of PhD student Davide Giri on December 2. According to reports, Vincent Pinkney went on a rampage, stabbing Giri to death and attacking another man, who survived. He also attempted to attack a third victim, who managed to get away before helping police locate him. It's unclear what charges he will face, as police have not yet made them public.
Pinkney's rampage is just the latest incident of violence in NYC, leaving residents in fear. On December 2, officials at a public school in Brooklyn seized 21 weapons after a surprise inspection, prompted by the arrest of a teen the day before for carrying a ghost gun. In early November, a homeless man was set on fire for sleeping in a stairwell at an apartment in the city. Gun violence has also skyrocketed, with one viral video showing two men firing at each other in the street on November 15 in The Bronx.
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While some individual crimes like murder and gun violence have dropped, overall crime in the city has jumped up 11.2% in October 2021 compared to October 2020. Factors contributing to the rise have often been blamed on the economic hardships of Covid-19, and a reducing police force, as many officers look to join other departments without a vaccine mandate. But neither of those factors appeared to have played a role in the death of Giri, with Pinkney having a long rap sheet.
Who killed Davide Giri?
The 20-year-old was stabbed by Pinkney around 11 pm and succumbed to his injuries before help could arrive. Pinkney then went on to attack Italian tourist Robert Malastina, who is currently in hospital but expected to survive. At around 11.30 pm, he was arrested in Central Park, along with the knife he used. Reports say he's a member of the Bloods gang off-shoot, Every Body Killas.
The 25-year-old Pinkney reportedly has 11 previous arrests dating back to 2012. In 2015, he was convicted of gang assault for a brutal attack on a man in 2013. He's also been arrested for robberies and assaults, as well as other crimes according to the NYPD. He served three years of a four-year sentence and was currently on post-release supervision when he went on his rampage.
Acknowledging his past arrests, Pinkney's father told The New York Post his son "spent some time in jail" but wasn't "known to be violent at all." He also added, "I don’t really know if he’s involved in gang activity. I really don’t know where he hangs out." Police are also investigating if Pinkney was responsible for a series of knifings in the area in the days before his arrest. On December 1, a man was stabbed in the neck inside Morningside Park, with the description of the perpetrator matching Pinkney.
Meanwhile, Giri's friends and family have gathered to mourn the Columbia University student. Malastina is reportedly "in good spirits" and recovering at the Mount Sinai Morningside hospital. The condition of the third person Pinkney attacked is not known, but from reports, it appears he wasn't seriously injured at all.