Bullet pierces student's window

A bullet fired from the corner of 39th and Chestnut streets hurtled through a Hamilton Court apartment window early yesterday morning. The bullet, one of five shots fired, penetrated the window and blinds in room 301 of the "hotel" building and lodged in the ceiling. "My bedroom light was on, but I was sleeping until [the bullet] came through the window," said College junior Kim Morales, who lives in room 301. Morales said she initially thought the noises were rocks hitting the building until she saw the hole in her blinds. "I didn't want to get up," she said. Both University and Philadelphia Police arrived at the scene shortly after the shots were fired. According to Morales, Philadelphia Police searched outside her apartment for shells, but did not find any evidence. She said both University and Philadelphia Police speculated that "it was probably some kids shooting off because of the full moon." Morales also said that the police did not dislodge the bullet from the ceiling. According to University Police Capt. John Richardson, if the bullet actually wounded someone or if an arrest had been made, the police would have taken the bullet. "Under the circumstances, there was no reason for us to take it," he said. Morales said that she does not feel safe in her apartment anymore. "It makes me nervous to know that even if I'm home, there's bullets coming through the window," she said. "There's not much you can do about it." She added that she does not want to move back on campus. But Richardson said the incident does not indicate that the corner is a "problem area." "We get reports of gunshots all the time -- this could have happened anywhere," he said. "But that doesn't make 39th and Chestnut a problem corner." Richardson added that he has not heard any reports of shots outside this particular building before. College junior Josephine Abragan, Morales' suitemate, said she was awakened by the shots. "My first thought was that it might go through the window, so I ducked," she said. "But then, I thought 'I'm being silly, of course it couldn't go through the window.' " Abragan said she now is afraid to stand in front of her windows. Daily Pennsylvanian staff writer Daniel Gingiss contributed to this story