Philly man who fatally shot a Temple student was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison

A Philadelphia man was sentenced Tuesday to at least 25 years in prison for fatally shooting Temple University student Samuel Collington during a carjacking near campus nearly three years ago.

During an emotional hearing before Common Pleas Court Judge J. Scott O’Keefe, Collington’s parents and friends described the deep and enduring pain they’ve felt since the 21-year-old was killed in 2021. Collington, a senior who aspired to become a lawyer and possibly a politician, was shot on a Sunday afternoon after returning to school from Thanksgiving break.

The shooter, then-17-year-old Latif Williams — who had committed a carjacking in the area less than two weeks earlier — waited for a driver to arrive on the block, prosecutors said, then attacked Collington after he parked, confronting him in an attempt to steal his car, then shooting him four times.

Collington’s mother, Molly, told O’Keefe through tears that her son was “the kind of son every parent wishes for.” His father, Dennis, said Samuel’s life has been “frozen in time,” and that his wit, intellect, compassion, and activism were qualities his family and friends miss every day.

“We are serving a life sentence — a life without Sam,” the elder Collington said.

Williams, for his part, apologized for his actions, saying he was “absolutely wrong” and that he hopes the Collingtons can forgive him someday.

“I’m sincerely sorry,” he said. His mother, Kateejah, told O’Keefe: “Latif is a loving kid. He’s not a monster at all.”

His lawyers, Marni Snyder and Patrick Link, said Williams had a traumatic upbringing and lived in poverty. They also sought to highlight that he had earned his high school diploma since being incarcerated, and had participated in arts and sports programs designed to spur rehabiliation.

Williams “will do what he can to make amends with society,” Snyder said.

O’Keefe, in imposing his sentence of 25 to 50 years, told Collington’s relatives he was “terribly sorry” for their loss, adding: “There’s no reason for it.”

Collington was killed on Nov. 28, 2021, on the 2200 block of North Park Avenue near Dauphin Street. He was returning to his apartment near Temple’s campus after having spent Thanksgiving with his family, Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said Tuesday.

When he stepped out of his SUV — which he’d borrowed from his parents to bring his things, including clean laundry, back to school — Williams approached him, attempted to rob him, and shot him.

Collington was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

He was expected to graduate in spring 2022 from Temple’s College of Liberal Arts. He had recently received a high score on the LSAT, planned to attend law school in the fall, and worked as a democracy fellow in the Office of the Philadelphia City Commissioners. He was also an Eagle Scout, friends and relatives said Tuesday, and was civically active, including by seeking to find ways to get people registered to vote.

City Commissioner Omar Sabir testified during Tuesday’s hearing, telling O’Keefe it was not hyperbole for his friends and relatives to have viewed Collington as a future public officeholder.

“He was on that track,” Sabir said, describing him as an eager and enthusiastic presence in the office.

Collington’s father said he still can’t fully accept that his son is gone, adding that he sometimes still texts his son’s phone number as a way to deliver messages to him.

Collington’s mother, meanwhile, said she misses Samuel every day.

“They say time heals all wounds,” she said. “But definitely not this one.”