"I think people were disgusted," Shapiro said. "The way both of them died is grotesque."
Shapiro said he saw both faces of the tragedy.
"On the way back from the uiversity, after learning about the murder, my train was delayed by the suicide," he said.
Columbia first-year Winston H. Song said his resident assistant called to inform him of the murder, but he did not know either party involved.
"Everyone is in a state of shock, but I'm relieved that this is an isolated incident and didn't involve random people off the street," Song said. "I still feel completely safe."
Renzulli echoed Song's sentiments on safety, asserting that neither of the recent murders at Columbia was a result of street crime.
As for emotional fallout from the deaths, however, Renzulli said the University's students must come together to cope with their sense of loss.