Suspect arrested in armed robbery south of Main Campus

Naiem Lester, 18. | COURTESY PHILADELPHIA POLICE

Naiem Lester, 18. | COURTESY PHILADELPHIA POLICE

On Wednesday, police identified and arrested a suspect in an armed robbery that occurred Monday night on Thompson Street near 15th.

According to a press release from Philadelphia Police’s Department of Public Affairs, Naiem Lester, 18, of 10th Street near Thompson, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, robbery and recklessly endangering another person, among other offenses. Lester turned himself in Wednesday at the 18th District’s Headquarters and was then transported to the department’s Central Detectives Division for processing, police said.

The robbery occurred at about 10 p.m. Monday, police said.

The complainant, a 23-year-old female and two witnesses—a 22-year-old female and 20-year-old male—were approached by two men on Thompson Street, according to police.

Police said the complainant continued walking and the two suspects asked the witnesses where Cecil B. Moore Avenue was. They then walked westbound after the complainant, followed by the two witnesses.

The men threw the complainant to the ground and began to grab at her, police said. The female witness had the complainant’s purse at the time of the attack, and swung the purse the the offenders. She then saw that one of the men had a small handgun and she heard three gunshots, according to police.

Police said one of the men took the complainant’s purse and fled westbound on Thompson Street.

The complainant did not require medical treatment, and no other injuries were reported, according to police.

Police said Central Detective Division’s Special Investigations Unit developed a suspect and issued an arrest warrant Tuesday. The investigation of the incident is ongoing.

Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or on Twitter @Lian_Parsons.

Footage of sexual assault suspect released

Philadelphia Police believe this is the suspect in Monday night's sexual assault and robbery of a Temple student. |COURTESY PHILADELPHIA POLICE

Philadelphia Police believe this is the suspect in Monday night’s sexual assault and robbery of a Temple student. |COURTESY PHILADELPHIA POLICE

Philadelphia Police released footage today of the man who is believed to have sexually assaulted and robbed a 20-year-old female student Monday night.

The department’s Special Victims Unit is still trying to identify and locate the suspect, who was captured on a SEPTA subway camera before the incident. He was last seen boarding the Broad Street Line at the Erie station and departing at the Cecil B. Moore station.

Officer Christine O’Brien, a Philadelphia Police spokeswoman, said both a witness and the student who was attacked said the man in the video is the suspect.

O’Brien added that at a press conference at the Special Victims Unit’s headquarters on Hunting Park Avenue near Front Street, Capt. John Darby said the suspect may be responsible for another recent robbery. The location of that robbery is not yet available, O’Brien said.

The student and suspect are not believed to have known each other, Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone previously told The Temple News.

Tipsters can contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-8477 or text 773847. All tips are confidential.

Steve Bohnel can be reached at steve.bohnel@temple.edu or on Twitter @Steve_Bohnel.