A Penn State student was shot dead during an apparent attempted robbery of his phone over the weekend.
Billy Schmidt, 22, was preparing for his senior year at the university, where he would have graduated in December with a degree in digital journalism and media.
But around 1.30am on Saturday, as Schmidt was walking home after watching the NBA Finals, the young man was shot in the chest by a person who appears to have stolen his phone.
The shooting took place just across the street from his family’s house in southern Philadelphia. Neighbors gave police disturbing surveillance footage that captured the shooting and the moments leading up to it.
In the videos, which were taken by multiple cameras from different angles, two young men in dark clothing with their hoods up can be seen talking to Schmidt, who could be heard saying: ‘Give me back my phone.’
The young man could then be seen following the pair down the block and around a corner. One of the men can be seen throwing the phone just before Schmidt caught up, and the other could then be seen raising a handgun and shooting the student.
Schmidt was quickly rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just 17 minutes after the shooting.
‘Over a phone. It’s abhorrent. It’s just unbelievable that someone would kill someone over a phone,’ one of the family’s neighbors, Ezra Roulinavage, told NBC Philadelphia.
Penn State student Billy Schmidt was fatally shot in the chest in the early hours of Saturday during an apparent robbery gone wrong. He is pictured with his sister
Surveillance footage taken by neighbors’ cameras shows the moment Schmidt was shot across the street from his house in southern Philadelphia
Earlier in the footage, Schmidt could be heard saying, ‘give me my phone back’ before chasing the robbers. He was pronounced dead in the hospital 17 minutes after he was shot
Police have not announced any arrests or released information about possible suspects.
Although the videos shared by neighbors clearly indicate that the killing was a robbery gone wrong, no official suspected motive for the shooting has been released either.
Schmidt’s father, Bill Schmidt, told WPVI that he found his son’s phone under a car on the street and gave it to police.
‘He was a really good person who cared about everybody and never hurt or bothered a soul, never bothered anyone, and for him to get shot like that is a travesty,’ the father told the outlet.
‘I want to find the two people and make them pay,’ he added.
A memorial for Schmidt was set up in the spot he was killed, where neighbors laid flowers on the street.
Penn State released a statement addressing Schmidt’s death that said: ‘We are heartbroken this morning to learn of the tragic death of William Schmidt, and we share our deepest condolences with his family and friends.
‘William was a fourth semester student from Philadelphia studying digital journalism and media at Penn State World Campus. Penn State Student Affairs is reaching out to William’s family to provide support.’
Schmidt’s father, Bill Schmidt, said his son was ‘a really good person’ and added, ‘I want to find the two people and make them pay’
Schmidt’s sister, Anna Schmidt, described him as ‘a beloved brother, friend, and member of our community.’ The young man is pictured with his sister and their father
The student’s sister, Anna Schmidt, set up a GoFundMe to help pay for ‘unexpected expenses that have added to the emotional burden of this difficult time.’
On the fundraising page, Schmidt’s sister described him as ‘a beloved brother, friend, and member of our community.’
‘His loss has left us all in shock,’ she added.
