A beloved Brooklyn public safety guard is being remembered for a life of quiet service and faith after falling victim to a horrifying act of violence that no civilized nation should tolerate.
Nicola Tanzi, a 64-year-old longtime safety officer and devout Catholic, was fatally attacked on October 7 outside the Jay Street-MetroTech subway station in an unprovoked and savage beating that left the local community stunned, the New York Post reported.
On Friday evening, mourners filled Andrew Torregrossa & Sons Funeral Home in Brooklyn to honor Tanzi’s memory, gathering around his urn with flowers, photos, and heavy hearts.
Victim Lived Simply, Served Proudly
Tanzi, an Italian immigrant who had worked as a public safety officer at MetroTech for 15 years, was reportedly preparing for retirement, hoping to move to Long Island and revisit the joys of his youth. That plan was never realized.
His younger brother Anthony, described him as “a simple guy” with no cell phone, no email, and a deep involvement in parish life. “He decided he was going to retire… and do all the things we used to do as kids. He never got the chance. He was robbed,” he said.
This kind of senseless loss hits close to home for working families who believe in personal responsibility, community, and the right to safety in our streets and subways.
Attack Was Brutal and Unprovoked
Prosecutors say Tanzi was sucker-punched twice in the face by 25-year-old David Mazariegos, causing him to fall and lose consciousness. The suspect reportedly continued the assault, kicking Tanzi’s face and body while he lay defenseless on the ground.
Tanzi suffered catastrophic injuries, including a skull fracture and crushed nasal bone, and died hours later at the hospital. The brutality is fear-inducing, but the rationale behind it is even more disturbing.
According to police, Mazariegos told officers he didn’t like how Tanzi looked at him and claimed Tanzi had somehow offended him by holding the door. Incredibly, the attacker claimed he had taken Tanzi's “spirit.”
Suspect Held Without Bail, Had Prior Cases
Here’s the kicker, policymakers don’t want to talk about: Mazariegos had five open criminal cases at the time of the attack. Five. Yet he was still out on the streets.
Now he faces a first-degree murder charge and is being held at Rikers Island without bail, but that’s cold comfort to a family grieving the loss of a man who, by all accounts, was the epitome of decency.
“He’d never hurt anybody. He was just nice to be around,” said childhood friend Richard Ravaloi. “He was never in a bad mood. He went to work and back every day from that subway station. To have something like that happen, and the way that it did, he didn’t deserve that.”
Over 100 Mourners Pay Respect at Wake
The funeral chapel was packed with more than 100 relatives, friends, and parishioners on Friday night. Tanzi had been cremated before the wake, and his urn stood surrounded by photos and floral tributes.
His nephew David called him “just a wonderful, caring human being” and noted his unwavering faith and warm sense of humor. “He had an infectious laugh. I think if you asked anybody who had met him, that would remind anybody of him now.”
In a city that often feels increasingly impersonal and unaccountable, Tanzi was the human antidote—a man of faith, habit, and humble service, who lived quietly and gave more than he ever asked for.
