To the Temple Community, 

Just before 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, a Temple student walking off campus on the 1800 block of West Montgomery Avenue was approached by a male who displayed a handgun and took the student’s phone. There were no physical injuries. 

Through the use of surveillance footage, we were able to determine that the suspect fled the area immediately after the incident, proceeding north on 18th Street. The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) and Temple University Public Safety are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact the PPD tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or Central Detectives at 215-686-3093. You also can contact Temple’s Investigations Unit at 215-204-6200 or Temple Police at 215-204-1234.  

We encourage all members of our community to become familiar with the university’s available safety resources, such as the walking escort program, the Flight shuttle service and the TUSafe app. 

Incidents like this are concerning. Students who are impacted are encouraged to seek support through Tuttleman Counseling Services. For faculty and staff members, our employee assistance program offers support and resources 24/7 online or by calling 1-888-267-8126.

More safety resources can also be found at safety.temple.edu.  

Sincerely,  

Jennifer Griffin   
Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police