Category Archives: News

Three men rob student northwest of campus

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Temple Police are investigating an armed robbery of a student that occurred Sunday night northwest of Main Campus.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said the student was walking along Edgley Street near Diamond, when three men approached him, one of whom had a gun and showed it to the student.

The suspects then took the student’s iPhone 5 and wallet, along with a ring, earphones and hat, Leone added.
No injuries were reported. A TU Alert was sent out about the incident at 8:50 p.m.

Leone said the student described the three men as 20-25 years old. He reported one wore a blue zip-up sweatshirt and tan pants with a gun tucked into the waistband, the second wore a dark hoodie and dark jeans, and the third wore a dark polo shirt and dark jeans.

Leone added Temple Police stopped men last night who fit the description, but the victim said none of them were the ones that robbed him. He added they will review security footage from private cameras on the houses surrounding the area of the incident.

Tipsters can contact Temple Police at 215-204-1234.

Julie Christie can be reached at julie.christie@temple.edu or on Twitter @ChristieJules.

Police: 15-year-old boy found dead in car north of Main Campus

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UPDATE: Information has been updated to include an interview with Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Philadelphia Police discovered the body of a 15-year-old boy in the backseat of a Lincoln Town Car on North Park Avenue near Cumberland Street Friday evening.

The unnamed victim was shot once in the head, said Officer Christine O’Brien, a police spokeswoman, in an email. She added “there was no ballistic evidence or weapons recovered at the scene.”

The boy was pronounced dead on the scene by medics at about 7:30 p.m, police said.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told The Temple News the 15-year-old boy’s last known address was in Upper Darby, and he had been identified by his family. The car appeared to be abandoned, Small added.

His name has not yet been released to the public, Small said. He added there are no new leads in the investigation.

No arrests have yet been made, and the vehicle the boy was found in is still being processed for evidence, police said.

Julie Christie can be reached at julie.christie@temple.edu or on Twitter @ChristieJules.

Adjuncts to join full-time faculty union

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A merger between part-time faculty and the Temple Association of University Professionals has been established after a secret ballot was cast earlier this month.

According to an email memo sent by Provost Hai-Lung Dai to university adjuncts earlier today, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board reported the merger between adjuncts and TAUP was successful, which adds about 1,400 professors to the university’s full-time faculty union. The final count was 609 votes for a merger, more than double the 266 votes “of remaining unrepresented,” according to the email.

“Now that the vote is completed, it is time to move forward,” Dai said in the email memo. “Soon, we will begin working with TAUP to produce a collective bargaining agreement that includes adjunct faculty.”

The Temple News previously reported that since of the start of discussion for possible adjunct unionization, some organizers and adjuncts have protested and held rallies on Main Campus. Organizers have also waited for adjuncts outside of classrooms and visiting their homes, upsetting adjuncts who said they were not interested in unionization.

Art Hochner, president of TAUP, previously told The Temple News anyone who has had a problem with a union recruiter should contact him.

“We’ll find out if they did anything wrong,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re not antagonizing anybody, but we want to get the word out too.”

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

Police investigating fatal shooting near Main Campus

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Philadelphia Police are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning north of Main Campus.

At about 4:39 a.m., police received a call from York St. near 13th, according to a press release from the Philadelphia Police’s Public Affairs Unit.

Police said when they reached the location, they found a 35-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the street. His vehicle was also found with the keys in the ignition, and the driver’s door open, police said.

The man was transported to Temple University Hospital and pronounced dead at 4:55 a.m., according to the release. No suspects or motives have been identified, police said.

This is an ongoing story. Check back for updates.

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

Police investigating shooting west of Main Campus

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Temple Police are investigating a shooting on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near 16th Street that happened shortly before midnight Saturday.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said two Temple Police officers were patrolling about half a block away when they heard what sounded like gunshots. Once they arrived at the location of the shooting, they found five shell casings and discovered two separate car windows struck by a bullet, he added.

Leone said one 16-year-old male wearing a denim jacket with a patch on the back “might have been involved,” but no other information was reported to police.

“No one would say what happened, so we don’t know if there was an argument out there or something,” Leone said. “But nobody was hit by the bullets.”

A TU Alert was sent out about the incident at around midnight Saturday. No injuries were reported.

One student, freshman business major Joe Babar, said he was out walking close the area where the shots were fired.

“I thought it was crazy because it was the first gun shots I’ve ever heard,” Babar said. “Everybody near the shooting was running in the complete opposite way, toward the 7-Eleven [on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near 15th Street]. I was kind of in shock, it didn’t hit me until later where I was like, ‘Wow, I just heard gun shots.'”

Another student, freshman geology major Dillion Riley, said despite the gunshots, nobody was nervous immediately afterward.

“I didn’t really feel anything, I just went out to go check it out,” Riley said. “They blocked it off and all of the drunk kids were trying to get around it. Nobody was scared, everybody was just drunk trying to get to their house.”

Steve Bohnel and Gillian McGoldrick can be reached at news@temple-news.com or on Twitter @TheTempleNews.

Police arrest suspect in connection to two armed robberies

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Robert Sherrill, 26, has been arrested in connection to two armed robberies near campus last week. | COURTESY Philadelphia Police

Robert Sherrill, 26, has been arrested in connection to two armed robberies near campus last week. | COURTESY Philadelphia Police

Philadelphia Police have arrested a suspect in connection to two separate armed robberies that occurred near Main Campus last Thursday morning.

Robert Sherrill, 26, of North Clarion Street near York, was apprehended at his home Oct. 17, and has been charged with carjacking, robbery and other offenses, according to a press release from Philadelphia Police’s Office of Public Affairs.

According to the release, police were able to arrest Sherrill after uploading surveillance video of the two incidents to Philadelphia Police’s YouTube channel—a carjacking and armed robbery near 10th Street and Susquehanna Avenue, and an armed robbery on 15th Street near Montgomery Avenue.

Because of the video, tips were generated, and Sherrill was identified as a suspect, police said. Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone previously told The Temple News he was confident the video would lead to an arrest.

“Video’s been so helpful to us,” Leone said in an interview Saturday. “I wish [robberies] would never happen to us, but when it does happen, the video has been really helpful in identifying people.”

According to court documents, Sherrill has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 3.

News in brief: 10.20 Issue

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DRIVER SENTENCED IN HIT-AND-RUN

Rashan Roberts, 18, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half to 23 months in prison with five years probation last Tuesday, according to court documents. Roberts was arrested May 6 and pled guilty in court July 23.

On April 29, then-senior and student-athlete Rachel Hall, was critically injured in a hit-and-run accident when Roberts, driving his father’s 2012 silver Mitsubishi Galant on Diamond Street near Park Avenue, hit Hall on her bike. He had a learner’s permit at the time.

Roberts was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving a death or injury, and driving without a license.

-Lian Parsons

VIRTUAL REALITY MAY REDUCE STRESS IN CANCER PATIENTS

Director of Sbarro Health Research Organization and biology professor Antonio Giordano is currently examining a study involving 50 breast cancer patients to see if incorporating virtual reality will help make treatments more effective.

Giordano told Temple Now that patients with cancer often feel stressed, scared and even depressed, and immersing them in a virtual reality during treatment may remove those psychological symptoms.

“[It] can interfere with their ability to successfully follow a course of therapy,” Giordano said, adding stress is a “critical component” in cancer treatment.

Giordano is building on other studies that incorporated virtual realities into treatments, including one study he and Sbarro conducted that helped patients reduce their weight.

While the study involving breast cancer patients is not yet concluded, Giordano believes reducing stress is having a positive impact both psychologically and physiologically on the subjects.

-Julie Christie

TUH CLIMBS RANKINGS

Temple University Hospital has been ranked the 17th best academic medical center from the University Health Consortium.

Its rank has improved from 65th in 2013 and 44th in 2014.

Dr. Henry Pitt, chief quality officer for Temple University Health System, said the ranking reflects improvement in patient care, death rates and doctoring quality. He expects further improvement next year.

“We’re assuring our patients that the quality of outcomes of patient care on the inpatient side, particularly, are very high,” Pitt added.

-Lila Gordon

2 armed robberies reported Thursday morning

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Temple Police are still investigating two armed robberies that occurred around Main Campus early Thursday morning.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said the first robbery occurred at around 12:05 a.m. near a food store at the intersection of 10th and Susquehanna streets. A student parked his 2005 blue/green Cadillac near the store, and went inside to make a purchase, Leone said.

As the student was leaving the store, two men approached him, one of whom was armed with a handgun, Leone said. They then took the student’s car, cell phone and other personal items.

Leone added police are still looking for the car, which has a New Jersey license plate. A TU Alert was sent out about the incident at about 12:45 a.m. No injuries were reported.

In the second armed robbery, Leone said a student was walking north on 15th Street near Montgomery Avenue when two men approached him. One of the men pulled out a black handgun and demanded the student to turn around, Leone added.

The men then went through the student’s pockets and took his iPhone 4, $32, keys and identification, Leone added. They then fled south on 15th Street, and got into a black or dark colored Dodge Charger, Leone added.

A TU Alert was sent out about the incident at around 3:50 a.m. No injuries were reported.

The first suspect in this case was last seen wearing a red Phillies sweatshirt, a red baseball cap, and dark blue jeans. He was reported to be 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall and in his early 20s, Leone said.

The second suspect was last seen wearing a red sweatshirt with white lettering that says “Life Guard,” and dark blue jeans. He is also in his early 20s, Leone said.

Leone added Temple Police has some “great video and stills” from cameras in the area and is working with Philadelphia Police to release the images.

“I feel very confident these males will be identified and apprehended soon,” Leone said of the second armed robbery.

Tipsters can contact Temple Police at 215-204-1234.

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

Suspect identified, arrested in sexual assault of student last month

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Shakree Bennett, 23, has been arrested by Philadelphia Police for allegedly sexually assaulting a student last month. | COURTESY Philadelphia Police

Shakree Bennett, 23, has been arrested by Philadelphia Police for allegedly sexually assaulting a student last month. | COURTESY Philadelphia Police

A man has been identified and arrested in connection to the reported sexual assault of a 20-year-old female student Sept. 28.

According to a press release from Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey, 23-year-old Shakree Bennett, who last known address is on Harlan Street near Master, has been arrested and charged with rape, aggravated assault, sexual assault and robbery, along with other charges.

Bennett was extradited by parole agents from Essex County, New Jersey yesterday, and was transported to Philadelphia Police’s Special Victims Unit, where he was arrested, according to the release.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone previously told The Temple News Philadelphia Police had arrested a suspect—who was believed to be connected to the sexual assault—because of a warrant related to another incident. In an interview Wednesday, he said because Bennett fled the state, the process of charging him for the alleged sexual assault Sept. 28 takes more time.

“Each state is individualized with its laws, so the paperwork and process is different,” Leone said.

According to court records, Bennett’s preliminary hearing is scheduled on Oct. 29. Bail is currently set at 10 percent of $500,000.

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

‘Person of interest’ arrested in sexual assault of student

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Philadelphia Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the sexual assault and armed robbery of a Temple student that occurred Sept. 28.

Officer Tanya Little, a Philadelphia Police spokeswoman, said the man who has been arrested is a “person of interest” in the case, but was apprehended on charges not related to the sexual assault and armed robbery last month.

Executive Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said Philadelphia Police are still in the process of deciding whether to charge the man with the incident from Sept. 28.

“They have a person in custody from a previous warrant,” he said. “Right now, they’re basing it off that and still in the process of deciding whether to charge him with the incident.”

The Daily News reported the suspect, whose name has not been released because charges have not been filed, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals last Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Leone said U.S. Marshals tend to be involved when trying to find a fugitive that has been on the run. He added that Temple Police’s next actions depend on Philadelphia Police’s Special Victims Unit.

“We’re going to circle back with the Special Victims Unit and see what the next steps will be,” he said. “So we’re following their lead.”

Steve Bohnel and Lian Parsons can be reached at news@temple-news.com or on Twitter @TheTempleNews.