Temple identifies student killed in North Philly hit-and-run
The 27-year-old victim was run down at 8th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
A 27-year-old Temple University student was killed in a wrong-way hit-and-run Monday night near the university, police said.
About 8:50 p.m., the man, identified as Ajay Agnihotri, was crossing Eighth Street at Cecil B. Moore Avenue when he was struck by a Hyundai sedan heading north on Eighth at a high speed, said Capt. Mark Overwise of the Accident Investigation Division. Eighth Street is a southbound one-way street.
Police found the victim lying in the street unresponsive, suffering from severe head trauma and other injuries. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Temple, which released the victim’s name, said Agnihotri was a fourth-year student in the College of Liberal Arts from Reinholds in Lancaster County. He was pursuing a double major in political science and economics, the university said.
“The death of any member of our community is heartbreaking and takes a significant emotional toll on us all,” Temple president Richard M. Englert and dean of students Stephanie Ives wrote in a message to the university community.
The school said counseling resources were available.
Police found the Hyundai several blocks away at Eighth and Berks Streets. It had considerable front-end damage.
Overwise said two people in the car ran away on foot and he urged them to surrender.
He said the car was not reported stolen and investigators were seeking to contact the owner.
Anyone with information or surveillance video that might assist investigators was asked to call the Accident Investigation Division at 215-685-3180.