More than two weeks after a man attacked and sexually assaulted a Temple University student as she walked home from the library, a man stands accused of attacking her near campus.
Philadelphia Police arrested Shakree Bennett, 23, and charged him with rape, involuntary sexual intercourse, aggravated assault, robbery, weapons counts and related charges in connection to the late evening Sept. 28 attack along the 1400 block of N Carlisle Street in North Philadelphia.
Investigators said Bennett came up behind the victim and told her to be quiet as he hit her on the arm with a silver handgun. He then pushed the 20-year-old victim into a nearby construction site where he threw her rummaged through her backpack before sexually assaulting her and running off north on Carlisle Street, said police.
Temple University alerted students after the attack. The victim had left Temple's library around 11:15 p.m. and walked with a friend until they separated near Broad and Cecil B Moore, said Philadelphia Police. Minutes later the attack took place.
After the assault, the woman used an emergency light to call police. Officers arrived to find the shaken victim, said investigators.
Philadelphia Police extradited Bennett from Essex County, New Jersey on Wednesday and brought him back to Philly to face charges. A judge arraigned Bennett on rape charges early Thursday and sent him to jail on $500,000 jail. He faces a preliminary hearing on Oct. 29.
Bennett is no stranger to the Philadelphia court system. He pleaded guilty to violent robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery charges in 2012 and was given a 3-1/2 to 7 year sentence that also called for him to obtain a GED, said court records. It isn't clear how recent, Bennett was released from prison.
