When I was at Columbia, numerous extremely serious crimes took place. Check NYC archives for 2001 - 2005. During a single year, there were at least 2 murders and 1 attempted murder while I lived in Morningside Inn. A woman was stabbed in the throat and a guy was thrown out a 5th floor window. Additionally, people were smoking crack in the building regularly, and you didn't want to make eye contact with them.
I was awoken by detectives in the middle of the night & told about the murder, which took place while I slept 1 room away!
1 murder was committed by a Trevor Frederick.
Source - New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/nyregion/13mbrfs-MURDER.html