Peyton Harris, Editor

PHILADELPHIA – Friday, Sept. 27, was game day once again for the Explorers’ Field Hockey program, as La Salle was set to host Saint Louis University in an A-10 Conference match-up. The game, held at Temple University’s Howarth Field, began at 3:00 p.m., with La Salle taking the lead late in the third quarter, 1-0. During the fourth quarter, a penalty corner was called, and players prepared to resume play. As players took positions, the scene shifted rapidly as gunshots rang out.

According to a statement obtained by The Collegian from the Philadelphia Police Department, at approximately 4:28 p.m., multiple calls were received for reports of gunshots at the KFC restaurant on the corner of Broad St. and Girard Avenue. “Upon arrival, officers discovered ten fired cartridge casings (FCCs) scattered throughout the parking lot,” the Department said. At time of writing, no further information on a suspect or motive has been communicated by Philadelphia police.

The game, which was being broadcast on ESPN+, captured the moment players began to flee from the field and take cover in the sports complex’s facilities. In a separate TikTok video, a spectator captures the incident, and shots can be heard as they ricocheted off of the metal bleachers.

Temple University Vice President for Public Safety, Dr. Jennifer D. Griffin, released a statement acknowledging the response by Temple and City police. “Both teams and all spectators immediately evacuated from the field and stands into the locker room, and the game was called and did not resume,” she said. “Law enforcement cleared the area and ensured it was safe, at which point both teams left the facility.” 

At 8:12 p.m., La Salle students received initial news of the shooting in an email from Vice President of Student Development and Campus Life, Dr. Gaby St. Léger. Within the email, Dr. St. Léger highlighted resources available to students, athletes, and coaches as provided by the University. “We are grateful that everyone is safe,” she said. 

“From the moment that this incident occurred, La Salle has been committed to providing the resources the players and coaches need to recover,” Dr. St. Léger reaffirmed when later reached for comment by The Collegian.

La Salle Director of Strategic Communications, Brian Kirschner, relayed a statement to The Collegian from President Daniel J. Allen. “ I had the opportunity to meet with the team and coaches shortly after the incident where I pledged that we as a University would stand behind the team and offer whatever support they need,” President Allen said. “I also let the team know that I and others in University leadership had reached out to the Mayor’s Office and others in the City of Philadelphia to make sure they were aware of the incident and to offer myself and the University as agents of change and be part of the solution.”

In a post on Instagram, La Salle Field Hockey made the University’s first public acknowledgment of the shooting. In their statement, players said, “This is not normal. We cannot accept this as our reality. We are committed to sharing our story – the real story. The public must understand the severity of this ongoing issue, and we cannot achieve that if experiences like ours continue to be deflected,” the team statement read on Friday, Oct. 4.
Ashwin Puri, Vice President of Athletics and Recreation said to The Collegian, “We are proud of the statement they issued about their experience as well as taking a stand and advocating for real change in society.” Puri concluded by saying that for future home games, the team will utilize The Proving Grounds, a multi-sports facility in nearby Conshohocken.