Armed robbers murder Penn State student in south Philly for his phone

A 22-year-old Penn State student was fatally shot early on Saturday morning in South Philadelphia after being confronted by individuals who stole his cellphone

Billy Schmidt was walking home around 1:30 am after watching the NBA Finals at a local bar when the incident occurred. Surveillance footage captured two men speaking with Schmidt before one appeared to take his phone. Footage from a neighbor’s home shows one of the men then throwing a cell phone, with another running around the corner with Schmidt chasing him. The suspect turned around and shot Schmidt in the chest.

Schmidt was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center about 17 minutes after he was shot, but did not survive.

"He was a really good person who cared about everybody and never hurt or bothered a soul, never bothered anyone and for him to get shot like that is a travesty," said his father, Bill Schmdit, according to ABC 7.

The shooting took place just steps away from Schmidt’s own home. His father found his son’s phone under a car and handed it in to the police.

"I'm shocked when they stole his phone that he chased them. The kid he is very lowkey supposedly when he got to the corner another came out and he shot him," he said.

Neighbors have also provided surveillance footage of the incident, with one neighbor, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia, saying, "Over a phone. It's abhorrent. It's just unbelievable that someone would kill someone over a phone.”

Schmidt was preparing to enter his senior year at Penn State, studying communications. No arrests have been made at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.