Temple Student Assaulted by Group

A Temple University student was chased into a residence hall lobby and assaulted by a group of juveniles early Sunday, campus police said. (6abc.com) Police said the attack happened at about 2:50 a.m. on April 19 inside Morgan Hall South at Broad and Oxford streets in North Philadelphia. The student suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment. (6abc.com) Temple police released surveillance images of at least nine males and said the group also damaged university property after chasing the student into the building. Investigators said they are still trying to determine what led up to the assault. (6abc.com) Temple sent a timely warning to the campus community Sunday morning under the federal Clery Act, which requires colleges to alert students and employees about crimes that may pose an ongoing threat. Vice President of Public Safety Jennifer Griffin said police were reviewing security footage and seeking help identifying those involved. (temple-news.com) The case drew extra attention because Morgan Hall South is one of Temple’s largest dorm buildings, with more than 1,200 students in the complex, and because the assault happened inside a campus residence hall rather than on a nearby street. Temple police said they increased patrols after the attack. (6abc.com) Temple police said they are working with the Philadelphia Police Department and School District of Philadelphia safety officials to identify the suspects, who authorities described as juveniles. Deputy Chief Gaetano Sava told local television the encounter involved multiple juveniles “hitting,” “pushing,” and “pushing him around.” (6abc.com, (wgal.com)) The Temple News, the student newspaper, reported that a security officer was also assaulted during the incident but was not injured. Griffin urged students to report suspicious behavior and use Temple’s walking escort program and Flight shuttle service. (temple-news.com) As of April 23, no arrests had been announced in the reports reviewed, and police were still asking anyone with information to contact investigators. (nbcphiladelphia.com)