Random killer of Columbia grad student gets 25 years to life

Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News on Sep 25, 2026

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NEW YORK — A tight-knit Italian family was robbed of a beloved son and brother — and the world lost “a brilliant mind” in scientific research — when a frenzied man wielding a knife went on a senseless, blood-filled rampage, a Manhattan judge heard Friday before sentencing the killer to 25 years to life.

Relatives of slain Columbia University teaching assistant Davide Giri flew in from his native Italy to attend the Manhattan Supreme Court sentencing of Vincent Pinkney. Laying bare their grief, they told the convicted killer about the extraordinarily kind and intelligent man whose life he cut short.

“The whole world has lost an extraordinary person, a pure talent and a brilliant mind that would have been sorely needed. We believe the defendant does not know who he killed. We know,” Renato Giri, the victim’s father, said in Italian, reading a statement that was later translated by one of his daughters, Catarina.

“Even as a small child, Davide possessed an extraordinary sense of morality, combined with a crystal-clear laugh and a natural humility that never overpowered others, but which drove him to stand firm against all injustice.”

Giri, 30, who had been working toward a Ph.D. in computer science, was making his way home from soccer practice late on Dec. 2, 2021, when Pinkney ran at him with a kitchen knife at W. 123rd St. and Amsterdam Ave. in Harlem, inflicting mortal chest wounds before fleeing south on a wanton spree of violence.

Giri stumbled to get help, yelling out, “Help! I have been stabbed!” before collapsing, The New York Daily News previously reported.

The victim’s relatives on Friday read an excerpt from a request to Columbia for his posthumous degree submitted by his Ph.D. adviser, Prof. Luca Carloni.

“During my six years working with Davide, I was fortunate to mentor a highly talented student who made progress in his research that exceeded even my highest expectations and, at the same time, consistently went above and beyond the call of duty in helping his peers,” the professor wrote.

“His tragic death is an enormous loss for the Department of Computer Science, for Columbia University and for the entire research community.”

Less than 15 minutes after attacking Giri, Pinkney savagely stabbed a 27-year-old man on Columbus Ave. near W. 110th St., puncturing his kidney and spleen, but the victim survived.

Around 10 minutes later, Pinkney lunged at a man walking a dog with his girlfriend at the northeast corner of Central Park, narrowly missing him with his knife, according to court papers. He was arrested with the blade on his person after the third victim flagged down cops.

After hearing from Giri’s devastated family members, state Supreme Court Justice Beth Beller on Friday handed down a term of 25 years to life in prison for Pinkney, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in July.

The murder case culminated a lengthy rap sheet for Pinkney, 30, who was out on parole for a gang assault conviction at the time of the incident.

His public defender, Michelle Marie Benoit, on Friday said that since June 2024, doctors treating Pinkney daily in custody had diagnosed him with schizophrenia. He has since consistently been taking antipsychotic medication.

“The Vincent we met in December 2021 and the Vincent sitting here today, it is that medication that has made a difference,” Benoit said.

The attorney said Pinkney’s parents had asked her to extend their sincere apologies to the victim’s family, while knowing nothing could take away their pain.

In a brief statement, Pinkney personally expressed his remorse.

“I want to apologize to the family of Mr. Giri. I want to apologize to the others that I hurt that night,” he said, going on to thank doctors at Rikers Island for treating and helping him understand his mental illness.

Judge Beller told Giri’s family she hoped the sentence and the apology brought some sense of closure.

“He sounded like a remarkable young man,” she said of Giri.

“I know one of the things that you said was that you really wanted to hear Mr. Pinkney apologize for his actions, and he did do that today,” the judge later added. “Nothing will ever completely take the pain away. But I hope that over time, you will begin to heal and that doing this today begins to help with that process.”

In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said his thoughts were with Giri’s loved ones and the surviving victims.

“Mr. Giri’s death sent shockwaves throughout an entire community and devastated his family, classmates, teachers, teammates and friends,” the DA said.

“I hope this accountability brings closure while allowing the community to honor Mr. Giri’s life and legacy.”

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