Retired UND provost Tom DiLorenzo, 63, was shot dead during a robbery attempt on Friday morning
Two teens were charged with the fatal shooting of a retired University of North Dakota rector during a robbery attempt Friday morning in South Carolina.
Retired UND provost, Tom DiLorenzo, 63, was walking with his wife, newly appointed Chancellor of Charleston College, Suzanne Austin, when the fatal shooting occurred at 6.15am in downtown Charleston, Carolina from the south.
During the incident, which took place just a few blocks from the university campus, two men approached the couple at an intersection near an antique shop and demanded money from them at gunpoint.
DiLorenzo was shot during the robbery attempt. He was taken to the hospital where he died just before 7 am, according to WBTW.
Austin suffered no physical damage.
Prospective thieves fled the scene before authorities arrived.
Antique store owner Andrew Slotin told WCSC that after DiLorenzo was shot, he staggered and collapsed near his store.
I mean a person who walks, we all love to walk in this great city of Charleston. The last thing you would expect is to have a random act of violence like this, ” Slotin said.
Logan Schoembs, who runs the 167 Raw restaurant near the scene of the shooting, told ABC News 4 that he saw about five shell casings at the scene of the shooting and saw the police taking photos of bloodstains and using a K unit. -9.
After the shooting, police released photos of a silver 2005 Acura TL, which they believed was occupied by three men in their teens.
Late Friday night, the Charleston police released a statement revealing that two teens had been arrested in connection with the attempted robbery and the death of DiLorenzo.
The suspects were said to be between 15 and 16 years old. They were not identified due to their age.
Authorities said DiLorenzo and his wife were walking in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, when two men approached them on this street at gunpoint.
Authorities released a picture of a 2005 Acura that they believed was related to the incident. At the time, they believed that the car contained three men, in their mid to late teens
DiLorenzo (back right) was walking with his wife, the newly appointed head of the Charleston College, Suzanne Austin (center), when the fatal shooting occurred on Friday morning.
DiLorenzo had retired from his position as rector of the University of North Dakota, which he held for seven years, just six weeks before his death and a few weeks after moving to Charleston.
The two boys have been charged with murder and attempted robbery.
One of the boys was also charged with possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
The investigation of the incident is ongoing.
The children are detained in a juvenile detention center and will have a hearing before a family court judge.
DiLorenzo retired from his position as rector for six weeks and had moved to Charleston a few weeks before he was assassinated, the Grand Forks Herald reported.
He was rector of UND from 2013 to 2020, working for student retention, improving college graduation rates, and developing the school’s strategic plan.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement that the city was “shocked and horrified” by the DiLorenzo murder, noting that the violence “has no place in our city.”
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. DiLorenzo, and to the entire Charleston College community at this terrible time,” he added.
The former president of the student body at the University of North Dakota told the Grand Forks Herald that DiLorenzo ‘was always very warm and welcoming and ready to hear the voice of the students, which I think was very important.
He added that “he really cared about the students’ opinion on things.”
Charleston College President Andrew Hsu said in a statement, “Tom was celebrated not only for his collaborative leadership style, but also for his belief in experimental learning and how the city of Grand Forks served as an extension of the classroom. UND “.
‘From what I understand, Tom, as expected of any lifelong academic, held education in the highest regard, even calling it the’ ultimate equalizer ‘because he knew that education was the only way a person could take full control of his / her life and ensure a successful future, “added Hsu.
‘This is a time of great pain for the entire Charleston College community. In this difficult time, I want to express my condolences to Suzanne and the families of Austin and DiLorenzo. It is imperative that we as a campus community come together now to support Suzanne and her family as they mourn the premature loss of a husband and father. ”
.
