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Temple holds students-only townhall to address safety
Temple University held a students-only townhall meeting on Monday to discuss campus safety as North Philadelphia continues to grapple with crime and gun violence. Some students that spoke to FOX 29 left the meeting underwhelmed with the response given by university officials.
PHILADELPHIA - Temple University held a students-only townhall meeting on Monday to address crime and gun violence threatening the North Philadelphia campus.
The meeting comes after several recent incidents of crime against Temple students living in off-campus residences, including a string of home invasions late last year.
Keep_Us_Safe_TU, a student-run Instagram account dedicated to informing students of recent crime on and around campus, livestreamed the meeting to their more than 3000 followers.
Campus safety officials provided a presentation that discussed walking escorts and expanding its flight shuttle service to include more of the ease side of campus along 10th Street.
Some students left the meeting underwhelmed by the school's plans to combat crime and improve overall safety. Sophie Marcotte says she hoped officials would address the school's patrol zone.
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Temple student slugged by attacker during carjacking in North Philadelphia
Surveillance video shows a Temple University student slugged during an attempted carjacking Sunday night in North Philadelphia. The victim's roommate told police the group of at least three attackers threw cement at the victim and shattered his back window, then threw cement at their apartment.
"I wish they would have spoken more about the patrol zone because most of these crimes that are targeting students are right on the perimeter of the patrol zone," Marcotte said.
A Temple student was punched during a suspected attempted carjacking over the weekend that happened just outside the school's patrol zone, underscoring the student's fear.
Student Government President Gianni Quattrocchi believes beefing up safety on campus will be a collaborative effort between the school and the city of Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Police Department is weeks into its program to scatter more officers in the city's most troubling areas, including part of North Philadelphia.