2008 Woodie Awards
Students shot in West Philly
Patrick Temple-West ’07
Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A Saint Joseph's student was shot early Sunday morning along with another college student near the corner of 54th Street and Wyndale Avenue, the latest in a string of violent incidents that occurred this past week on or around the campus.
The gunshot victims, Brian Brennan, '09, of Saint Joseph's and David Hunsinger, '09, of Penn State University were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Both students are expected to recover.
The two students were returning to campus from a party when three men allegedly confronted them and demanded their money and cell phones. One was armed with a handgun. One of the students handed over his phone and then pushed the gun away. The gunman opened fire and hit Brennan in the leg. Hunsinger sustained more serious wounds to his torso.
The incident took place at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and police informed Saint Joseph's Security of the shootings at 4 a.m. It is not known where the students were coming from, only that they said they were returning from a party on 56th or 57th Street. The Department of Public Safety does not know if the students called for an escort.
The students were two of the 13 victims wounded by gunfire last weekend in Philadelphia. Six of the incidents resulted in homicides.
"We are trying to impress upon students not to be in that area late at night," said Bill Mattioli, Director of Public Safety. "This is a big university in a metropolitan city. Students need to be careful when they are off campus late at night. We are asking that they use the escort service."
Linda Lelii, Vice President of Student Life, said via e-mail that Brennan is recovering from surgery to repair a shattered bone in his leg.
"His parents indicated that he would be able to return to SJU after a few weeks," Lelii said in the e-mail.
Hunsinger was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital but none of the shots damaged his internal organs.
Students reacted with trepidation but were not surprised by the shooting incident. Rachel Wunder, '07, and Erica Demasi, '07, said they turned down housing in the neighborhood where the shootings occurred because of past crimes-most notoriously the kidnappings that took place last semester.
"We decided not to live in that area because it was way too dangerous," said Wunder. "You can't walk the two blocks to campus because it's not safe. It's just not worth it."
The gunshot victims, Brian Brennan, '09, of Saint Joseph's and David Hunsinger, '09, of Penn State University were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Both students are expected to recover.
The two students were returning to campus from a party when three men allegedly confronted them and demanded their money and cell phones. One was armed with a handgun. One of the students handed over his phone and then pushed the gun away. The gunman opened fire and hit Brennan in the leg. Hunsinger sustained more serious wounds to his torso.
The incident took place at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and police informed Saint Joseph's Security of the shootings at 4 a.m. It is not known where the students were coming from, only that they said they were returning from a party on 56th or 57th Street. The Department of Public Safety does not know if the students called for an escort.
The students were two of the 13 victims wounded by gunfire last weekend in Philadelphia. Six of the incidents resulted in homicides.
"We are trying to impress upon students not to be in that area late at night," said Bill Mattioli, Director of Public Safety. "This is a big university in a metropolitan city. Students need to be careful when they are off campus late at night. We are asking that they use the escort service."
Linda Lelii, Vice President of Student Life, said via e-mail that Brennan is recovering from surgery to repair a shattered bone in his leg.
"His parents indicated that he would be able to return to SJU after a few weeks," Lelii said in the e-mail.
Hunsinger was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital but none of the shots damaged his internal organs.
Students reacted with trepidation but were not surprised by the shooting incident. Rachel Wunder, '07, and Erica Demasi, '07, said they turned down housing in the neighborhood where the shootings occurred because of past crimes-most notoriously the kidnappings that took place last semester.
"We decided not to live in that area because it was way too dangerous," said Wunder. "You can't walk the two blocks to campus because it's not safe. It's just not worth it."
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