It's been a few weeks since we've had to write a blog, and in that time I've been deluged with text messages from our school about various muggings or robberies around campus. I am, as are most students, signed up for the emergency alert text message system. But never have I seen it used so frequently! I'm used to one or two events happening a semester that they alert us about, but there were at least 4-5 in the span of a few weeks. And all seemed to center around the same few blocks.
Stranger was the news this weekend about incidents around our area. Just two blocks from my house a car flipped over and damaged several parked cars (luckily not mine...). I don't know why this particular incident happened, and by the time I heard about it and went to go look the car had been removed. Then last night apparently two armed men stole a car around 50th St. and ended up crashing it at 40th and Locust, on Penn's campus. A shootout with Philadelphia police ensued and one of the men was killed, with the other being taken into custody.
I consider myself lucky over the last four years that I have not been involved in any incidents like these around our area. But I know people who have, and on Saturday night my roommate was walking back to our house from a bar at the time the carjacking/shootout occurred. Thankfully he took a different route home. I'm always torn about what to say to parents of prospective students when they come to admissions events and ask about safety. I think that the area just around campus is relatively safe, but people have to remember that we do live in a large urban environment. Crime happens everyday in the neighborhoods around us, and I think that these events are a good reminder for students to be careful when walking around at night. I won't lecture about all the ways to avoid danger, but the bottom line is to stay in groups and stay on the busier roads (like Spruce St). Both for this holiday season and the rest of your time at school, please be smart when you're off campus and stay safe.
Link to an article (which doesn't really tell much more info because the event was so recent)-
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/11/21/1260855/carjacking-ends-on-penn-campus.html
I've been pretty concerned about all the incidents around campus recently as well. Rather than walk to places at night that are in walking distance, I opt for the Penn van service instead. It's pretty convenient, all I have to do is call for a ride and show my school ID when I get in. My friend and I used one last night instead of walking 5 blocks, just because we're both kinda scrawny and being girls, are probably easy targets. It's definitely scary to hear about all the muggings and robberies and accidents when they're so close.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary hearing about all the incidents going around campus. From the end of October until now, we've gotten nine messages from USciences, regarding robberies and muggings. Like Amanda said, it'd be safer just calling for a ride instead of walking the distance. Also, a tip for students: when you're walking at night time, always have at least two people with you.
ReplyDeleteI remember being a naive freshman and thinking nothing could happen to me until I think the second week of school when a friend got mugged. Philly can be a scary place no matter where you are, but I share your conflict Joe. As I have been to almost all of the same admissions events you have we do often get that question. I think the best option is to inform the parents that it is safe around us generally but precautions and intelligence are really the only thing that can protect a student. I still distinctly remember the night I heard a police officer get shot over at Copa Banana even though I was several blocks away. I think the emergency alert system is great but I'm also worried that the constant updates could make people paranoid. I guess I still havent learned though because I was walking alone at night just this week.
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