Police: Male in Custody in CCP Incident

SWAT teams responded to reports of an armed man at Community College of Philadelphia.

Community College of Philadelphia freshman Matthew Liu makes a phone call as students and staff gather on Spring Garden Street. Photo | Jared Shelly

Community College of Philadelphia freshman engineering student Matthew Liu makes a phone call home as students and staff gather on Spring Garden Street. “I just hope she’s not in there,” he says about his sister, a senior. “I was on my way in there and got a bunch of messages from the school and 6ABC. That’s what got me worried.” Photo | Jared Shelly

[UPDATE: 11:39 A.M.] According to police radio, a male is in custody. A police wagon was summoned to 17th street. All parents of students are being directed to 15th and Spring Garden.

[ORIGINAL] The Philadelphia Police Department confirms a report of an armed man at Community College of Philadelphia. Shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, police responded to a call regarding the armed man inside the school’s Bonnell Building at 17th and Spring Garden streets.


Police say that the man allegedly threatened someone with a gun. He’s described as a black male, approximately 18 years old, bearded, about 5-feet 4-inches tall, wearing a blue vest, grey sweatpants, and a red hooded sweatshirt. The college is on lockdown, and police are searching for the suspect. Nearby Masterman High School is also on lockdown.

The report comes two days after Philadelphia-area universities were warned about an unspecified threat of violence, allegedly scheduled to take place Monday. No attack occurred.

There was a gun threat at the college last April.

Denise Morse who is in her fourth year at the college, said at the scene, referring to this and the incident last year, “They really need to upgrade their security. It’s easy to walk in and out” of the school.

This is a developing story.

Emergency response at Community College of Philadelphia today. Photo | Jared Shelly

Emergency response at Community College of Philadelphia today. Photo | Jared Shelly