Pitt students want more campus security, communication from leaders after attack on Jewish students

PITTSBURGH — Just days after a hateful attack, University of Pittsburgh students are telling Channel 11 what they want to see from campus leaders in the future.

“How do I not know about that? How do I only know about that through other students,” Amelia Katz asked.

Katz is a freshman at Pitt and says she’s disappointed with how the university handled an attack on Jewish students. She told us she only learned of it through word of mouth on campus.

“I am Jewish and hearing about that as kind of an afterthought to the whole situation was just a little jarring,” she said.

According to police, a group of Jewish students walking on campus near the Cathedral of Learning were attacked last Friday evening. Court documents claim Jarrett Buba, 52, threw a glass bottle at the victims, hitting one on the back of the neck. As the glass shattered, another student’s face was also cut.

>>> Man arrested for allegedly attacking group of students with bottle near Cathedral of Learning

“You kind of think of college as like a place where different ideas can co-exist and different identities there can be a discourse around it instead of senseless acts of violence It is frightening in that regard,” said freshman Kylie Lavlel.

On Monday, the Jewish Community Center released a statement regarding the act of violence. It says in part:

“Nobody should feel unsafe or threatened because of their religious identity. The JCC is grateful to the University of Pittsburgh and local law enforcement for their quick response… There is no place for Jew-hatred in our community,” Jason Kunzman, CEO and president of JCC of Greater Pittsburgh.

Students tell us there’s still room for improvement and want to see the following changes:

• More security around campus
• Using the Emergency Notification System
• More open discussions about religion

Pitt told us they didn’t use the ENS alert because the suspect was immediately arrested.

“Keep students in the know don’t hide things because they feel like it, let everyone have the same amount of information,” Katz said.

The FBI is currently investigating the incident.

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