Frank Trower, a 21-year-old male, was found dead inside his rented townhouse at 39th and Market streets around 4 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Philadelphia Police had no records of Trower being affiliated with Penn or any other university.
Trower suffered two bullet wounds to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Police say the victim’s sister discovered the body.
Police found no signs of forced entry and no weapon at the scene. They are continuing investigations, and no immediate arrests have been made. In addition, no motive has been identified.
The Philadelphia Police Department is the lead agency of this active investigation, according to DPS spokesperson Stef Karp. The intersection of 39th and Market streets is at the northern border of Penn’s Division of Public Safety patrol zone.
Penn students who live close to the incident zone had mixed feelings about their safety.
Min Kim, a College sophomore, is a resident of Hamilton Court located near 39th and Chestnut streets.
Though Kim was unaware of the incident on Sunday, he admitted to feeling uncomfortable after he found out. He also expressed his concern with the lack of Penn Police in the area. “I wish maybe the Penn Police would take action and have more patrols,” he said.
Kim was also frustrated for not being notified by DPS about the incident. He said, “it was not good judgement on their part.”
College sophomore Hillary Halter also lives in Hamilton Court. Though she was also unaware the incident had occurred, she feels safe because she always sees different officers and students in the area, and has “never had any issues.”
Halter initially felt frustrated because she was not alerted by DPS about the incident. However, she didn’t expect to be notified via the UPennAlert system. “It is the running joke/issue on campus,” she said.
Wharton sophomore Julie Young, also a Hamilton Court resident, agreed. She still feels safe in her area.
Related
Man found dead at 39th and Market streets
Mayor Nutter lays out new plan for homicide prevention and punishment
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.