Chancellor Gary S. May issued the following letter today (May 4):

It is with a heavy but grateful heart that I come to you with the news that the city of Davis Police Department today arrested a suspect in three stabbings, two of them fatal, over the last week. You can read the city’s announcement here and the university’s follow-up statement here.

There is relief in knowing the alleged perpetrator of these senseless and violent acts is now in custody. We can all breathe a little easier and begin to process the pain, fear and sorrow we collectively experienced in the past week.

Together we’ve lost a beloved Davis community member, David Henry Breaux, and the bright light of our student Karim Abou Najm. We mourn their loss, we rage at the unfairness. Our community member, Kimberlee Guillory, continues to recover with the support of neighbors in Davis and at UC Davis.

Reach out if you need help. Tap into your support systems and connect with your friends and your family. There is no one way to process and grieve. Take advantage of the campus resources and services to help you navigate this time. Students can access many different resources at Aggie Mental Health and employees should contact the Academic and Staff Assistance Program, or ASAP.

Our task in the weeks ahead will be to process our pain and transform it into something positive that honors the memories of David and Karim.

The Academic Senate has approved the return to in-person evening classes beginning Monday, May 8, and has extended the undergraduate Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) deadline to Friday, May 19. Instructors should continue to refer to the Academic Senate’s Guidelines for Instructional Continuity for information on class adjustments and accommodations. 

Safe Rides will continue to operate with extended hours for the time being.

I want to thank our UC Davis police, the city of Davis police and all of the law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly to protect our community. Let’s continue to do what Davis does best — reach out and support one another in times of crisis.

We will get through this, and heal, together.

Sincerely,

Gary S. May
Chancellor