To the Temple Community,   

Earlier this evening, around 9:10 p.m., Temple University Police and Philadelphia Police responded to a gathering of more than 100 juveniles near the 1300 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. While the gathering was initially orderly, it became disruptive as it grew, and a stabbing subsequently occurred. 

Preliminary reports indicate a 15-year-old male was stabbed in the right leg. He was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. A person of interest was identified and taken into custody by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD). 

Temple Police and PPD have since cleared the area. PPD is leading the investigation. Temple University Police are working in close coordination with them to investigate this incident and are currently reviewing camera footage and working to identify witnesses. We thank Temple University Police and Philadelphia Police for their swift response. 

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. 

While the victim was not affiliated with Temple, incidents like these are deeply concerning. 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 additional safety resources within the TUSafe app.   

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