By SUSAN JONES
The man charged with attacking two Pitt students on Aug. 30 was allegedly involved in another incident the day before involving two people from Carnegie Mellon University, according to court records.
Jarrett Buba, 52, of Pittsburgh, was arrested immediately after the incident on Aug. 30 at the Cathedral of Learning where two Jewish students were struck from behind with a green glass bottle by a man wearing a keffiyeh. One student suffered several superficial cuts to his neck, while the other, who was struck on the cheek with the bottle, was treated for a possible concussion.
Because the two students were both wearing Jewish yarmulkes and their attacker was wearing the Palestinian-associated keffiyeh, the FBI was asked by campus police to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime. Pitt released a statement this week saying that the FBI consulted with the District Attorney’s Office, which has not filed charges related to a hate crime.
The incident involving the CMU affiliates took place around 3:30 p.m. Aug. 29 near 300 South Craig Street. The two people told CMU Police that a white male wearing a black and green tank top threw a green bottle at them, which struck a nearby car. CMU Police searched the area for the man on Aug. 29, but didn’t find him.
After the attack at the Cathedral made headlines, one of the Craig Street victims contacted CMU police and said they believed that Buba was the same person who had attacked them. After comparing surveillance video and Buba’s arrest photo, CMU Police concluded it was the same person in both incidents, the criminal complaint said.
The Craig Street incident did not involve any of the hate crime overtones of the Cathedral attack. In both incidents, the victims reported making eye contact with Buba before he attacked them, according to the criminal complaints.
A longtime friend of Buba’s told the University Times that they had never heard him express hatred toward Jews. The friend is Jewish.
Buba has been charged in the Pitt incident with two counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment, along with resisting arrest. He also faces attempted aggravated assault and simple assault charges in the CMU-related incident, along with recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
He was denied bail. The Tribune-Review reported that District Judge Nicholas Martini said the suspect posed a substantial risk to the victims and the community and ordered Buba to undergo a behavioral clinic evaluation while at the jail awaiting a Sept. 12 preliminary hearing.
Swift reaction
The day after the Aug. 30 incident at the Cathedral, Pitt sent out a message from Carla Panzella, vice provost for student affairs, and Clyde Wilson Pickett, vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion, condemning the attack and assuring the community that there was no continuing criminal threat to the public.
The two said they had spoken with those impacted by the incident and been in contact with the Hillel University Center to offer support to our students, and with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
While stating that “there is no room in our community for violence and we condemn, in no uncertain terms, antisemitism, all forms of hate, and the actions of the alleged assailant,” the message also said that “the assault was determined by law enforcement not to be targeted or directed towards any specific group.”
Some on campus and off have objected to these statements (see Letters to the editor), saying the students were easily identifiable as Jewish and the attacker was wearing clothes associated with supporters of Palestine.
The Israel-Hamas war, which began after Hamas attacked people at a concert in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has sparked protests on campuses throughout the country, largely in support of Palestinians. Two pro-Palestinian encampments have been held since April in Oakland. The groups want Pitt to divest from Israeli-related investments to protest Israel’s occupation of Gaza and its continuing military actions there.
Pitt’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which has been involved in protests in Oakland, posted a statement on Sept. 1 on Instagram saying the group condemned the acts of violence against two Jewish students, and denounced “the misappropriation of Palestinian symbols by individuals unaffiliated with the movement for a liberated Palestine.” The group then held its first rally of the new school year on Sept. 3 at Schenley Plaza, dubbed “300+ Days of Genocide, 300+ Days of Resistance.”
Pitt said in a statement this week that, “We recognize that the determination that the incident was not a hate crime does not change the impact of the incident on the community.” The statement also said, “We appreciate our ongoing obligation to protect members of our Jewish community from antisemitism, or any kind of harassment, hatred, or violence.”
The Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh said after the attack: “We appreciate the outpouring of support. It is still unimaginable that a group of Jewish students and staff were walking form a Hillel JUC event in Oakland to the Hillel JUC building for Shabbat dinner when they were attacked by an individual with a bottle. … The University of Pittsburgh has clearly and unequivocally condemned this attack. There is no room on campus for antisemitism, hatred or violence.”
Hillel also issued a statement before the Sept. 3 pro-Palestinian rally: “We want to reiterate that the most important priority for Hillel JUC is keeping Jewish students safe. Hillel JUC is in communication with campus police and the Jewish Federation’s Director of Community Security to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to maintain safety and security on campus.”
Resources available
In their Aug. 31 message, Panzella and Pickett said the University is providing resources to Pitt Police to ensure additional security officers are available as escorts to students, faculty and staff heading to Friday night services or other events. “They will also be on call so that members of our community can express their faith without fear of random acts of violence.”
Those who have been affected by this incident can reach out for support to the University Counseling Center (412-648-7930); to a Care Manager by email (Care@pitt.edu); or to LifeSolutions for faculty and staff.
The Panzella-Pickett message also referenced “classes, speakers and events for the upcoming year that offer education, engagement and support,” without giving details.
One of the events will be on Oct. 7 — the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that left nearly 1,200 dead, hundreds injured and hundreds kidnapped, and was the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will host a Reflection and Support event designed to provide a space for the University community to come together, reflect on events of the past year, and offer mutual support. The event will feature facilitated discussions, opportunities for personal reflection, and access to mental health resources.
Some of the other events coming up this fall include:
Webinar Series: In October, the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will launch a comprehensive webinar series focused on understanding and addressing antisemitism. The three-part series will be accessible to all members of the Pitt community, offering insights from experts in the field.
Inclusion Network Retreat: The Inclusion Network will dedicate part of their October retreat to professional development workshops specifically focused on recognizing and challenging antisemitism. These workshops will equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to foster a more inclusive campus climate, emphasizing the importance of standing against all forms of discrimination.
EDIA Steering Committee Workshop: In September, the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Steering Committee will host a targeted workshop on antisemitism as part of their professional development agenda. This session will help committee members deepen their understanding of antisemitism and develop strategies to address it effectively within their respective roles and departments.
OEDI Special Programming 2024: OEDI, in collaboration with the University Library System, is sponsoring a four-part Discourse and Dialogue special topic series for the 2024-2025 academic year. Each series will include a scholarly presentation by subject matter experts followed by a dialogue session. A scholarly presentation on the topic of antisemitism, led by Rachel Kranson, director of Jewish Studies at Pitt, is included as a featured workshop. It will take place Oct. 21 or 29.
In a statement, the University said, “These initiatives reflect Pitt's unwavering commitment to creating a campus where all individuals feel safe, respected, and valued. By engaging the community in meaningful dialogue and education, the University of Pittsburgh continues to lead in the fight against antisemitism and all forms of hate.”
In the spring, Provost Joe McCarthy announced that the Year of Discourse and Dialogue would continue for a second year in 2024-25.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.