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Cops crack down after teen mob attacks Temple students

Students at Temple University in Philadelphia will see increased police presence after four teens were arrested during violent, random attacks against students, university police officers and even a police horse, officials said.

University police will work together with the Philadelphia Police Department to increase the presence of officers — especially on weekends — at the campus in north Philadelphia following Friday’s flash mob-style attacks along Broad Street that left at least six people hurt. Temple officials also encouraged students to be more aware of their surroundings and to use available resources like walking escorts or shuttle services to get around its main campus in north Philadelphia.

“If possible, travel with friends and walk in well-lit, regularly traveled streets or pathways,” university officials said in a statement. “Look around to make sure that you are not being followed.”

Philadelphia Sgt. Eric Gripp said officers from the city’s 22nd District will work with Temple cops to make sure the area is “properly staffed” after the arrest of four teens in connection with at least three assaults during Friday’s incident, which began after posts on social media coordinated a meet-up among about 200 teens.

“They have informed us that they will be increasing their presence,” Gripp told The Post. “We’ll work with them to make sure the area is properly staffed and that they have everything they need.”

In one incident, police said, a group of up to 30 boys and girls in their early to late teens surrounded two students and another person, beating them to the ground with punches and kicks. One of the students, sophomore Christina Lauletta, 19, was briefly hospitalized but has since returned to school, according to her father, Joe Lauletta.

“These sick animals held her down and kicked and stomped on her repeatedly,” Lauletta wrote on Facebook. “Every part of her body is badly bruised, it makes me cry just thinking about it.”

Lauletta, who also attended Temple University, told WXTF that he now “absolutely” feels differently about his daughter, who has a 3.6 GPA at Temple’s Fox School of Business, attending the school. He said he hoped her grades aren’t affected by the incident.

“I’m very street smart and I taught my children how to be street smart, so I think she was a little too trusting,” Lauletta said on Tuesday, adding that Temple’s alert came “way too late” to be useful for students and other bystanders.

“She’s a little overwhelmed right now,” Lauletta said. “This has been going on for weeks; students are getting attacked. I’m happy that Temple is finally putting something in place on the weekends.”

Lauletta said his daughter is “doing much better,” nursing bruises on her back, arms, legs and ribs from being stomped on during the attack.

Two of the alleged attackers, ages 15 and 17, were identified and now face charges including aggravated assault, robbery and criminal conspiracy. Police released a two-minute surveillance video of the assault on Tuesday in hopes of identifying additional suspects.

Police said a 16-year-old boy was arrested in a separate incident after he approached a mounted officer and punched a police horse twice in the face. He was apprehended after a short chase and was charged with assaulting a police service animal.

A 15-year-old boy was also spotted throwing rocks at passing cars before he pushed a Temple University police officer who was pursuing him off her bicycle. He was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and related crimes, police said.

No arrests have been made in a separate incident involving three victims, who told police a group of up to 30 teens approached them and began to assault them.  One victim, an 18-year-old female, had her cellphone smashed and suffered cuts to her legs, while the other victims, both 19, said the attackers took off with their iPhone, wallet, backpack and a wireless speaker.

Meanwhile, Temple officials noted in their statement on Friday’s incidents that a similar large meet-up of juveniles happened near its main campus less than two weeks ago, on Oct. 15. Calls seeking additional comment from university spokesman Brandon Lausch were not immediately returned.