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Philadelphia Police Recover Vehicle Involved In Wrong-Way Hit-And-Run That Killed Temple University Student

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia police have recovered the car involved in a hit-and-run that killed a 27-year-old Temple University student. Police found the car just a few blocks away from the victim, with no one inside. They are continuing to search for the driver.

Temple University identified the student as Ajay Agnihotri, a fourth-year student in the College of Liberal Arts. Agnihotri was from Reinholds, Lancaster County, and a double major in political science and economics.

Police say the driver was going so fast that on impact, Agnihotri flew out of his shoes. He was just a few blocks away from home when he was killed.

Officers say they were patrolling the area around 8:30 p.m. Monday when they found the victim in the middle of 8th Street, near Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Investigators say the victim was crossing 8th Street when a dark-colored sedan, speeding in the wrong direction, hit him. Agnihotri had severe head trauma and other injuries to his body. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Surveillance footage obtained by CBS3 from a nearby home shows the victim crossing the street and the car flying through the intersection at a high rate of speed.

Investigators confirm a gray Hyundai recovered three blocks away with front-end damage at 8th and Berks Streets, is the same car involved in the hit-and-run. They have an idea of who the owner is but are not sure if he was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Police Recover Vehicle Believed To Be Involved In Wrong-Way Hit-And-Run That Killed Temple Student

"We are looking for a driver. We have a vehicle in custody, we know that it is the vehicle. Eventually, we will get the driver," Philadelphia Police Capt. Mark Overwise said. "I would encourage the driver to examine their conscience and do the right thing and give us a call and tell us their side of the story."

Police also say there was a passenger in the vehicle.

Neighbors and fellow students are appalled that the driver kept going.

"It's sad. We're living in sad times all over. It seems like every night, or every other night, someone is getting hit or killed," Dorothy said.

"It's terrible. It's a young life that didn't need to be cut short because someone was reckless," Temple student Danielle Bookheimer said.

Agnihotri was a part-time student at Temple University. The university called his death "heartbreaking."

"On behalf of everyone at Temple, we want to extend our deepest condolences to Ajay's family, friends, classmates and all others who knew him personally. The death of any member of our community is heartbreaking and takes a significant emotional toll on us all," university president Richard Englert said in a statement.

The school is offering counseling services for students that may need it.

Police are trying to determine if the driver and passenger were racing away from a crime in progress.

Police are encouraging anyone with surveillance video or additional information about the hit-and-run to give them a call.

CBS3's Alecia Reid contributed to this report.

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