Joseph Micalizzi, 23, was killed around 3 a.m. Monday as he tried to fight off two burglars in the Tau Kappa Epsilon house on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, police said.
NEWARK -- Don't walk around after dark, travel in a group if you do and be careful of making a wrong turn outside of campus.
Students at NJIT said these are the precautions they take and will continue to following the recent arrest of two men accused of killing a fellow student at an off-campus fraternity house this week.
"My feeling of safety didn't change," 21-year-old architecture student Donovan Kirkland said of the arrests. "We all know the dangers of any city campus, you go the wrong way here and you can end up in trouble."
Kirkland, of Piscataway, said the isolated incident added to the city's stigma and already affects the school.
"Location is a factor. When students go on tour's here the early question is 'Is it safe?'" Kirkland said.
Joseph Micalizzi, 23, was killed around 3 a.m. Monday as he tried to fight off two burglars in the Tau Kappa Epsilon house on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, police said.
Last month, Shani Patel, 21, of Toms River, a junior economics major at nearby Rutgers-Newark campus was also shot and killed.
NJIT President Joel Bloom, reassured students this week saying "there is no imminent threat to the campus." On Saturday, three NJIT police vehicles could be seen either stationed or patrolling the University Heights campus.
Students told NJ Advance Media Saturday that while on campus their safety has never been a concern.
"I feel safe. We have a great public safety department," said Jon Vito, a biomechanical engineering senior.
Vito, of Mount Laurel, said he has noticed a decrease in crimes since he was a freshman due to an increase in officers and their work hours.
The problem, many students said, is when one ventures off-campus.
"I live in Newark and know it isn't safe around here," said 27-year-old Elizabeth Ayoola. "That this could happen here, it's crazy."
Ayoola, in a masters program at the school, said she takes advantage of online courses during the summer when it is "crazier" than normal.
Another student said after 9:30 p.m. she avoids the light rail after an incident a few months ago in which a student was robbed.
"This was not being at the wrong place at the wrong time, this was to another extent," said Palak Tyagi, of Micalizzi's murder.
In response to the shooting, NJIT said college police patrols would be increased in the area and that messages would go out to students on basic safety precautions, including the availability of off and on-campus escorts or rides by NJIT officers.
Students say the school has also been efficient in updating them on the Micalizzi investigation, such as notifying them on Friday of the first arrest.
John Roach, a sophomore at the school, said news of the arrest made him feel safer, it only a little bit.
"There's more cops on campus and I feel safe," said Roach. "I'll still have to be careful and take better watch."
Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.