Category Archives: Crime

Police investigating robbery near Main Campus last night

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Temple Police is investigating an armed robbery of a student that occurred at 15th Street and Susquehanna Avenue last night.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said in an email that the student was walking west on Susquehanna Avenue, when the suspect approached him from behind at 9:45 p.m.

Leone said the offender pulled a small silver handgun on the student, and told him to empty his pockets. He then took the student’s iPhone and fled west on Susquehanna Avenue and then turned north onto 16th Street.

A TU Alert was sent out at around 10:30 p.m. No injures were reported.

The suspect was described as a 15- to 18-year-old male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a light blue and white flannel shirt and white T-shirt.

Temple Police is patrolling the area and checking nearby cameras, Leone said. Anybody with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Campus Safety Services at 215-204-1234.

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

Arrest made in hit-and-run of lacrosse player

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Robert Roberts, 18, has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 22. | Courtesy Philadelphia Police

Robert Roberts, 18, has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 22. | Courtesy Philadelphia Police

UPDATE: The 18-year-old male has been identified as Robert Roberts of North Philadelphia, the Inquirer reported. According to court records, Roberts is charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 22.

Police arrested an 18-year-old driver Thursday suspected of striking Temple senior and lacrosse goalie Rachel Hall while she was riding her bicycle on Main Campus on April 29.

The incident, which occurred near 13th and Diamond streets, left Hall with severe head trauma and other injuries. Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said on Thursday that Hall is still unconscious and in critical but stable condition at Temple University Hospital.

The North Philadelphia man arrested and charged with the incident was driving his father’s 2012 silver Mitsubishi Galant with a learner’s permit at the time, and told investigators he “panicked” when he fled the scene shortly after striking Hall.

Hall’s mother, Kathy Hall, has been posting daily updates regarding her daughter’s status since last Sunday night on a Facebook page titled “Rachel Hall Temple Strong.”

Via a post to the Facebook page, Kathy Hall attended the university’s Latin Honors Convocation and Temple Athletics ceremonies this afternoon in honor of Rachel Hall, who was scheduled to receive her Cum Laude graduation cord at the Latin Honors ceremony. The Mullica Hill, New Jersey native is a College of Liberal Arts student majoring in criminal justice.

Andrew Parent can be reached at andrew.parent@temple.edu or on Twitter @Andrew_Parent23.

$5,000 and quarter pound of marijuana stolen in robbery of student residence

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Temple Police responded to a possibly drug-related armed robbery of a student’s apartment on 13th Street between Jefferson and Oxford streets, around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

A student reported that there were two males outside the apartment around 10 p.m., Charlie Leone, executive director of campus safety services, said in an email.

Two students entered the apartment with the two suspects, who said they were waiting for the students’ friend, Leone said.

The two suspects then pushed into the home, displaying a gun and entered an apartment where another student lived, Leone said.

The suspects demanded that the student open his safe, Leone said. The suspects took $5,000 in cash and a quarter pound of marijuana before fleeing the area.

No injuries were reported.

“We believe the student is involved in selling drugs,” Leone said. “Students getting involved with selling drugs out of their apartments increases the risks for being a victim of crime. We are very lucky no one was hurt.”

A TU Alert was issued around 11 p.m.

TUPD is coordinating with Philadelphia Police’s Central Detectives Unit as well as reviewing security camera video footage to search for the suspects.

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

Students robbed near 16th and Oxford streets

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Two students were robbed on 16th and Oxford streets around 8:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.

The students were walking on Oxford Street towards 16th Street and were approached by a male who displayed a handgun, Charlie Leone, executive director of Campus Safety Services said in an email. No injuries were reported.

Two cellphones and a wallet were taken. The suspect then fled west on Oxford Street, Leone said. He is described as thin, with a mustache, wearing a dark jacket over a gray hooded sweatshirt.

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

Suspect arrested for murder of student

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A Camden man sought in connection with the Jan. 24 murder of a Temple student turned himself in to police Friday, according to a press release.

Leonaldo Rivera, 25, of the 200 block of Erie Street in Camden, New Jersey, is charged with murder, attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm in the shooting of Alejandro Rojas-Garcia in the Feltonville neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Rojas-Garcia, 34, was driving down the 4200 block of Macalester Street in his Chevrolet Trailblazer when a suspect fired at his car, killing him and wounding a passenger, police said.

Two weeks after the shooting, Rojas-Garcia’s family held a vigil on that block, where they discussed peaceful methods of resolving conflict and the life of the advertising major and father of two who was also called “Alex” and “Luchi.”

Alex’s mother, Aleida Garcia, said she had been calm at the funeral but the vigil changed her mood.

“I am committed to finding justice for my son, for that person who pulled a gun on my son,” Garcia said. “I give you my word here today, standing in front of the place that my son died, that I am committed to justice. And I want you all to be with me.”

Rivera was arraigned Friday when he turned himself in, and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 18.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@temple.edu or on Twitter @JBrandt_TU.

Kim Jones murder case moves to trial

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Randolph Sanders, the 36-year-old charged with murder in the case of Kim Jones, waived his preliminary hearing in Common Pleas court this morning. His trial will be held on March 11.

Sanders will be held on all charges including murder, firearms carried without a license, carrying firearms in public and possession of an instrument of crime with intent.

Jones, 56, was waiting for the No. 23 SEPTA bus on the morning of Jan. 13 at the corner of 12th and Jefferson streets when Sanders allegedly shot her in the back of the head, police previously told The Temple News.

“It’s pretty clear that he planned it, and he prepared for it and he perpetrated a violent killing and I think his waiver demonstrates that there is evidence – the defense agrees that there’s evidence to go forward to a trial,” said Prosecutor Mark Levenberg.

Police spokeswoman Tanya Little told The Temple News that Sanders believed Jones was going to report him for misappropriating about $40,000 in funds from the Families and Schools Together Program of Turning Points for Children – an organization devoted to assisting abused and economically disadvantaged children, where they both worked.

“This is a horrible case because an innocent woman is dead,” said Defense Attorney Michael Coard. “Just because I’m the attorney for an accused, that doesn’t lessen the fact that a wonderful, great woman – that nobody had anything bad to say about at any point, so clearly an innocent victim – so I think first and foremost, my condolences and the condolences of all of us should go to them and then secondarily, we deal with the legal issues.”

Patricia Madej can be reached at patricia.madej@temple.edu or on Twitter @PatriciaMadej.

2 suspects sought in robbery of student at off-campus apartment

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A 23-year-old student and 21-year-old former student were robbed and attacked in the basement of an apartment on the 1800 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue around 9:45 p.m. Monday, police said.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said in an email that there is an ongoing search for two suspects who were armed with a gun and a knife and struck the former student in the head. Surveillance footage from local businesses and surrounding properties is being checked, he said.

Police found drug paraphernalia and are also investigating possible marijuana usage in the apartment, Leone said.

“The place may be known to have parties that increased risk for this directed crime,” Leone said.

Two cell phones and a Sony Playstation system were taken. The complainants were taken to Philadelphia police’s Central Detective Division.

The former student initially denied medical attention, but was taken for evaluation at Temple University Hospital, Leone said.
Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or @Lian_Parsons on Twitter.

Suspect arrested in robbery of a student

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Temple Police have apprehended a suspect in connection with the robbery of a student on 18th and Berks streets around 2:45 a.m. Saturday.

Edward Randall, 19, of the 2400 block of Garnet street was arrested around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, Executive Director of Campus Security Charlie Leone said.

Leone said in an email that two males approached a student before one displayed a gun and took the student’s cell phone before fleeing west on Berks Street.

A TU Alert was sent out around 3:00 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Another TU Alert was sent out around 8:00 a.m., informing of Randall’s arrest, who was in possession of the student’s phone, Leone said.

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

Kenney visits Main Campus to talk marijuana decriminalization

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Students and faculty attended a panel discussion, “The Decriminalization of Marijuana and its Effects on Policing,” on Tuesday morning.

The discussion was held at 10:00 a.m. in Alter Hall and concluded soon after 11:00 a.m.

In October of last year, Philadelphia decriminalized the possession of under 30 grams of marijuana, reducing the sanctions from arrest to a civil violations notice and a fine of up to $100.

The panelists in attendance were James Kenney, councilperson of the City of Philadelphia, Lieutenant Brian Sprowal from the Philadelphia Police, Charlie Leone, executive director of Campus Safety Services, Tondala Bausano, assistant director, of the Philadelphia Police Scientific Services Division and Mark Denys, director of Temple student health services.

Panelists took questions from the audience and addressed topics including changes in drug trafficking patterns, the possibility of expunging past drug offenses from offenders’ records, and fully legalizing medicinal marijuana in the future.

Health risks associated with smoking marijuana were also emphasized.

Leone addressed the possible effects of the policy on the Temple community. He cautioned against purchasing marijuana from unreputable or unknown sources.

“You’ve got to be careful what you’re buying … [Decriminalization] doesn’t mean [marijuana] is legal,” Leone said. “Some of the students get involved in the purchase and selling of marijuana and that puts them at risk for a lot of things.”
Lian Parsons can be reached at lian.parsons@temple.edu or on Twitter @Lian_Parsons.

Store robbed near HSC

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A store was robbed on the 3400 block of Germantown Avenue, near the Health Sciences Campus around 12:45 p.m.

Charlie Leone, executive director of Campus Safety Services, said a suspect was armed with a gun, which he showed to the store clerk before taking cigarettes and $150.

The suspect fled east on Russell Street, Leone said.

There were no injuries reported, and no Temple-affiliated people were involved.

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