Mike Gonzaludo, a third-year Drexel student, saw SWAT officers outside his off-campus apartment building over the weekend and thought it was for a huge drug bust.
He was even more flabbergasted yesterday to find out that two players from Drexel’s basketball team, including the leading scorer, were wanted for a home invasion robbery last week.
“It’s kind of surprising,” said Gonzaludo, who had a class with Jamie Harris as a freshman two years ago. “I just thought he was a regular varsity athlete [who] went to parties, enjoyed campus life.”
Harris, the Dragons’ starting point guard, and backup forward Kevin Phillip were both charged after surrendering to Philadelphia police yesterday. Authorities claim the pair conspired with Devon Bond, 21, when they entered a home on the 3500 block of Lancaster Avenue last Wednesday. They fled with the victim’s iPhone and another phone, police said. The three suspects are caught on video surveillance entering and exiting the building.
Authorities said there’s no explanation why the three — none of whom have criminal records — would commit such a costly act.
“Here’s a classic example of young people not thinking of everything ahead of them,” said Lt. John Walker, of Southwest detectives. “[It was] obviously short-sighted, not realizing their earning potential down the road.”
One of Harris’ lawyers, Robert Thomas Lynch, called the sources in the investigation “corrupt.” “Our client is a star athlete and more importantly a great student,” Lynch said.
