Man arrested in assault and robbery of Philly 911 dispatcher

The 25-year-old victim was attacked just steps from the entrance to the new Police Headquarters at Broad and Callowhill Streets as she arrived for a 6 a.m. shift on Sept. 15, police said.

A file photo of a police vehicle parked in front of the Philadelphia Public Services Building, the new headquarters of the Philadelphia Police Department at 400 N. Broad St.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer

by Diane Mastrull

Published Sept. 25, 2022, 12:34 p.m. ET

A Philadelphia man has been arrested in connection with an alleged assault and robbery of a city police dispatcher earlier this month as she arrived for work before dawn.

Lonnie Watlington, 40, was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, and related offenses for the 5:41 a.m. attack on Sept. 15 which occurred just steps from the entrance to the new Police headquarters at Broad and Callowhill Streets, police announced over the weekend.

Officers stopped Watlington shortly before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday on the 300 block of North Columbus Boulevard and identified him as the man wanted for the violent robbery, which resulted in injuries to the 25-year-old woman, police said.

In an interview with The Inquirer earlier this month, Darnell Davis, business agent for the dispatchers’ union, AFSCME Local 1637, said the woman had just gotten out of an Uber at Broad and Callowhill Streets for her 6 a.m. shift and was “20 steps from the building” when she was attacked.

A video viewed by The Inquirer shows a man in dark clothing run up to the dispatcher from behind, rip a bag from her arm, and drag her on the ground for several feet. He fled the scene.

Police said Saturday that Watlington took the woman’s blue backpack, which contained a pair of AirPods and various debit/credit cards. The dispatcher, on the job less than a year, was treated for cuts to her arm at Einstein Medical Center, police said.