Philadelphia, PA (CNN) — In Pennsylvania, two people experiencing homelessness were recent victims of a paintball attack and the person suspected in the attack is a student at Penn State University Brandywine.
A video of the attack was shared on social media and is making waves in real time.
“That’s awful, I can’t believe that someone would do something like that to homeless people, that’s just terrible to see,” one student said.
A TikTok clip posted on Instagram has Penn State officials launching an official investigation.
According to the account, a student from the school’s Brandywine campus allegedly shot paintball pellets at a couple as they were driving through Philadelphia, and investigators believe the two were homeless.
“I was a little confused and also scared because I don’t want to be associated with someone like that.”
The university’s director of communications made the following statement:
"We have been made aware of this incident and are investigating it further. We find the actions of the individuals in this video appalling, and we not only condemn violence, but also inhumane acts meant to demean and hurt others."
“Unfortunately, people really just don’t realize how common incidents like this are,” said Rose Laurano, a homeless outreach coordinator with Prevention Point in Philadelphia.
While the student has not been named, Laurano says his alleged actions are a part of a bigger problem.
“Our society has so much stigma around people who are unhoused that it allows others to dehumanize them.”
She hopes this video encourages others to be kind, while students at the campus are still trying to understand why.
“It’s a great school and it sucks to see one of our students do something like that.”
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