A pair of teens have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a second division basketball player last week at a New Jersey wildlife refuge.
Phil Urban, a 20-year-old freshman at Connecticut’s Post University, died last Saturday after being shot and robbed at the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Eames Preserve in Hopewell Township, a rural community bordering both metropolitan New York and Philadelphia . areas.
Police said they found the six-foot-tall standout from Manalapan slumped in the driver’s seat of his C-class Mercedes on a pad at about 7 p.m.
Now, about a week later, Mercer County officials say they have made their first arrests in connection with the case — arresting both a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old on Friday afternoon.
The two teens – who have not been named due to their ages – are charged with murder, felony murder, robbery and multiple-weapon felonies. It is not yet clear whether authorities are treating the boys as adults.
Phil Urban, 20, died last Saturday after being shot and robbed at the Eames Preserve of the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space in Hopewell Township, a rural community bordering the metropolitan areas of New York and Philadelphia
Police said they found the six-foot-tall standout from Manalapan slumped in the driver’s seat of his C-class Mercedes on a track at around 7pm. Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were arrested Friday in connection with the student athlete’s death
Police wrote in a heavily redacted arrest report that after a week of investigation, they had identified the couple had lured the New Jersey-born athlete to the estate with the intention of robbing him of a quarter pound of marijuana worth about $800.
Both suspects, police said, will be held in a juvenile detention center pending their hearings.
Urban was a freshman member of the men’s basketball team at Connecticut School, located in Waterbury, not far from North Jersey. He played in two games this season as a freshman reserve off the bench after receiving a basketball scholarship after graduating from the prestigious Pennington School in Mount Vernon.
Police said they found the New Jersey resident “slumped” in the driver’s seat of his luxury vehicle, which was parked on a trail near the sprawling reservation.
Police said they found the New Jersey resident “slumped” in the driver’s seat of his luxury vehicle, which was parked on a trail near the sprawling reservation
He was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
His death is being investigated by homicide detectives and no arrests have been made so far.
At the time, authorities had said they believed the 204-pound attacker was planning to meet someone in the park.
Urban recently joined the team, police and acquaintances of the slain student-athlete said, offering a distinct presence in the team’s locker room
Urban (pictured) played for Post University in Connecticut before he was killed. Police said suspects led him to the park to rob him of a quarter pound of marijuana worth $800
In an April tweet, the school wrote, “WELCOME…Phil Urban. Phil is a 6’6 experienced winger from Manalapan NJ who can play multiple positions. We are excited about what Phil will bring to our team, both as a player and as a person. Welcome to the nest, Phil!’
A former coach of the Pennington School — legendary prep school in the garden state where tuition costs more than $40,000 — tweeted about Urban when he committed to Post earlier this year: “This kid has been through a lot of adversity this past year, and if I told you how he handled it, you’d be proud too!’
Following his death on Saturday, a spokesperson for the school told DailyMail.com that staff were “shocked to learn” of the incident late Saturday night.
“Phillip spent his junior and senior high school years at Pennington and was a valued member of the school community,” staffers wrote. “He graduated last year and then enrolled at Post University in Connecticut.”
Men’s head coach Marc Kuntz noted in a statement that the young man had a sense of humor that was infectious to the rest of the team.
“Phil was loved by everyone in the Postal community. His quiet sense of humor was contagious and he was an invaluable part of our basketball program,” said the staffer.
Phil Urban was shot around 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hopewell Valley Nature Preserve (pictured), the Mercer County prosecutor’s office said in a statement
The six-foot-tall athlete from Manalapan graduated from the prestigious Pennington School (pictured)
The school also released a statement at the time of his death, saying that “the Post University community” was heartbroken to learn of the freshman’s death.
“As a member of the men’s basketball team and a Business Administration major, Philip exemplified the traits of leadership, dedication and hard work on the field and in the classroom,” the school wrote in an emotional post.
“The Post University community extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to Phil’s family, friends, teammates and all who loved him.”
Post University CEO and President John Hopkins added in a statement SNBC13“The Post University Community is heartbroken to learn of the death of freshman Phil Urban last night.
The school also released a statement at the time of his death, saying “the community of Post University” was heartbroken to learn of the freshman’s death
Men’s head coach Marc Kuntz noted in a statement how the young man boasted with a sense of humor that was infectious to the rest of the team.
“As a member of the men’s basketball team and a business major, Philip exemplified the qualities of leadership and dedication and hard work on the court and in the classroom.”
Urban’s death is currently under investigation. A bail for the two suspects has not yet been set.
The two are due to appear in court in the coming weeks, police said. DailyMail.com contacted the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, which announced the arrest Saturday afternoon but did not immediately hear back. The police are still investigating the case.
Urban’s death is currently under investigation. Bail for the two suspects has not been set. Urban is pictured playing for a local New Jersey team before starting Post University this year
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