Temple University on Alert After Student Assaults

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Temple University is urging heightened vigilance among students and staff following two assaults involving three teenagers on Tuesday night. The incidents occurred around 10:20 p.m. near 11th Street and Montgomery Avenue, where one student was attacked. Approximately 20 minutes later, another student was assaulted and robbed of their backpack at the Cecil B. Moore Station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line. Fortunately, the stolen backpack was later recovered by police. Local residents, including senior student Carl Borgstrom, expressed concern over the attacks, particularly as they live near the affected areas. Mark Foster, whose son Brandon is an incoming freshman, echoed these sentiments, although he noted improvements in campus security. The incidents raise questions about the safety of students, especially with curfew laws in place for minors, which could result in fines for both the teens and their caregivers if violated. Philadelphia police are actively enforcing curfew regulations, but Temple's police chief, Jennifer Griffin, emphasized that citations alone do not address the root causes of youth crime. She highlighted the need for engagement in available programs to deter such behavior. Despite the recent incidents, Griffin reassured the community that overall crime rates on campus have decreased, attributing this to ongoing collaboration with city police and the implementation of advanced safety strategies as the semester begins.