A 22-year-old Penn State student was shot and killed just steps from his South Philadelphia home early Saturday while walking home after watching the NBA Finals at a local bar. Surveillance video captured the shooting and showed him asking for his phone back moments before he was killed.
William “Billy” Schmidt, an incoming Penn State senior, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest after officers responded to a report of a person with a gun at about 1:32 a.m. June 6 on the 1900 block of Durfor Street, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Footage obtained by local television stations captured the interaction between Schmidt and the two suspects. Schmid said, “Give me my phone,” before a gunshot was heard.
Officers found Schmidt lying in the street and rushed him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:47 a.m., police said.
The Philadelphia Police Department’s homicide unit is actively investigating the shooting. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not identified any suspects.
Schmidt was preparing to enter his senior year at Penn State World Campus, where he was studying digital journalism and media. He was expected to graduate in December.
Family, friends, classmates, and community members have shared tributes in the days since Schmidt’s death.
A 2021 graduate of Roman Catholic High School, Schmidt was remembered in his obituary as a devoted son, brother, grandson, and friend who embraced life with enthusiasm and cared deeply for those around him.
“Those who knew Billy will remember him for his kind heart, thoughtful nature, and unwavering loyalty. He was the type of person who would always make time for family and friends, offering encouragement, laughter, and companionship wherever he went,” the obituary reads.
Philadelphia police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).
