Sexual assault reported in Temple Towers

A sexual assault was reported Monday morning, stemming from an incident that occurred in Temple Towers during the weekend, said Deputy Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone.

The case involves two Temple students, an 18-year-old female victim and an 18-year-old man. No charges have been filed yet and the case has been referred to the Philadelphia Police’s Special Victim’s Unit, Leone said.

Leone said that along with being referred to the Special Victim’s Unit, the case has also been referred to the Student Code of Conduct through the university. He said alcohol was involved.

Check back with temple-news.com for more information as it becomes available.

Police looking for three suspects in cell phone robbery last month

Philadelphia Police are investigating a cell phone theft took place on Oct. 9, at 9:10 a.m., on the 1700 block of Diamond Street.

The victim was walking along the block when three males allegedly snuck up behind the victim and snatched the cell phone from his possession. The victim chased the offenders for several blocks before stopping his pursuit around 18th and French streets. Video surveillance has also caught two males believed to be the suspects.

The first suspect is said to be a black male who is 20 to 30 years old, has a mustache, and was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. The second suspect is described as a black male in dark clothing. No description was provided for the third suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093.

-Cindy Stansbury

Suspect wanted for robberies near 18th and Diamond

Philadelphia Police are looking for suspects wanted in connection with a series of strong-armed robberies in the area of 18th and Diamond streets between Aug. 23 and Sept 10.

On Aug. 30, at 5:00 p.m., a 21-year-old woman was robbed on the 1800 block of Diamond Street when a man grabbed her wallet which contained her identification and credit cards. About an hour later, a woman was caught on surveillance video using the victim’s credit cards at a grocery store on the 1800 block of Diamond Street

A few days later on Sept. 2, at 12:30 p.m., a man was forced into a doorway by the male suspect who took the victim’s iPhone out of his pocket and fled. 

The suspect is described as a 17 to 20-year-old black man of medium build and medium complexion with a beard. He was seen wearing a green shirt and blue jeans.

Authorities are unclear whether the robberies are connected or if the suspects are working together.

Anyone with information on this is asked to contact the Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093/94.

Police investigating robbery-homicide near Health Sciences

Temple police sent out an advisory to students and faculty informing them of a robbery homicide that occurred around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning near the Health Sciences Campus.

The incident occurred on the 3200 block of North 15th Street between Allegheny and Westmoreland Avenues. The victim was not a Temple student or employee, according to the advisory.

The email, sent at 1:56 p.m., stated that campus police “were just recently made aware of the exact location of the incident.”

At the time of the advisory, no arrests had been made and police are looking for a black male, between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and riding a bike.

Anyone with information related to the crime can contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-3334.

Off-campus shooting leaves student in the hospital

One student is in the hospital and one suspect is in custody after a shooting early Sunday morning.

According to a TU Advisory sent out at 5:29 a.m., the student was shot at about 3:30 a.m. on the 1900 block of Gratz Street. The student was taken to Temple Hospital and is expected to be released.

Anyone with information should call the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-3093.

Shots fired west of Main Campus

A 19-year-old man is in the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the head west of Main Campus late Wednesday night, police said.

Deputy Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said that at 11:20 p.m., the man, who is not affiliated with Temple, was shot in the head on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near 17th Street. Leone said that Philadelphia Police took the victim to Temple Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.

The suspect is described as a black man wearing a black hoody, white t-shirt, blue jeans and a green hat. He was last seen heading south on Bouvier Street from Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Police name suspects in robberies, release photos

The Philadelphia Police Department has released the identities of two men believed to be responsible for a series of robberies near Main Campus.

Four out of five robberies and attempted robberies included students, police say. The robberies occurred on Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the two men are asked to contact the PPD’s Central Detective Division at 215-686-3093.

(Top) Timothy Ballard. (Bottom) Kevin Wilson.

Woman killed near Health Sciences campus

A young North Philadelphia resident was shot and killed only blocks away from Temple’s Health Sciences campus around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, a Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson confirmed.

Shari Haris, 23, was on the 3300 block of North 13th Street when she was shot in the head. The PPD believe the motive of the action may have been robbery.

When police arrived, they saw the female lying in the street. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 3:36 a.m.

Haris was a resident of the 3300 block of North Park Street, just west of the Olney subway station and almost 3 miles north of where she was killed.

There are currently no leads in the case.

Arrest made in shooting of PSU student

Jeffrey Little, the 20-year-old resident of 2100 block of North Marvine Street sought in the murder of Penn State Abington student Mohan Varughese, was arrested this morning, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The Philadelphia Police Department released Little’s information yesterday, issuing an arrest warrant.

Varughese, who was slated to graduate one week ago today, was shot and killed while visiting his girlfriend on the 2200 block of North Camac Street on May 9.