Police have identified and are searching for a man who they say threatened a SEPTA train conductor with a gun and ran towards Villanova University's campus earlier this week, forcing the school to shelter-in-place overnight.
Ishmael Isaac Marshall, 28, of Philadelphia, is wanted on multiple charges, including terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, Radnor Police announced Thursday.
The charges are in connection to an incident that occurred near Villanova's campus late Tuesday night. The suburban Philadelphia campus sent out a notice to students around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday:
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
"Radnor Police have received a report of a robbery with a firearm on the R100 Commuter Train," the alert read. "The incident occurred approximately 30 minutes ago."
The man, who police later identified as Marshall, produced a gun from his backpack and tried to rob a Norristown High Speed Line train conductor, the Nova alert said.
SEPTA later clarified what allegedly happened:
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"On Tuesday around 10:30 p.m., there was a fare dispute on an inbound Norristown High Speed Line train at Villanova Station," SEPTA's statement said. "The male suspect got off the train and kicked the door. He then showed a gun and tapped it on the glass before running away."
No one was hurt in the incident.
After he got off the train at the Villanova Station near the Commons, the armed man was seen on foot fleeing over the pedestrian bridge near Aldwyn Lane, the university alert said.
The university lifted the shelter-in-place order shortly after 6 a.m. and said that classes would take place as normal Wednesday.
"Police searched the area on and around campus throughout the night but did not locate the suspect," NOVA said in the Wednesday morning alert. "We therefore do not believe that he is still in the area. Additionally, there is no information to suggest that he ever entered any University buildings, which were locked at the time of the incident."
While Villanova does not believe Marshall has returned to the school since the incident, Villanova University Police are still adding additional patrols and are closely monitoring security cameras as they search for the suspect.
Marshall is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him. Instead, call the Radnor Township Police Department Detective Unit at 610-688-5603 or 911.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
