Connected media – Connected media
In a startling incident at St. John’s University, a ceremonial sword and a megaphone have been reported stolen from the office of basketball coach Rick Pitino. The spokesperson for the Queens-based Catholic university confirmed the theft occurred on Tuesday evening around 8 p.m. in the athletic department’s offices, housed within Carnesecca Arena, home court to Pitino’s Red Storm team.
Brian Browne, the university spokesperson, detailed that the theft was part of an unauthorized entry by two individuals who were later seen escaping westward on Union Turnpike aboard a moped. The ongoing police investigation has yet to confirm if additional items were taken from the office or other areas of the building.
Surveillance footage released by the authorities on Thursday captured the duo in the act, with one of the perpetrators visibly carrying the sword while the other held the megaphone.
Rick Pitino, a New York City native and a celebrated figure in college basketball, joined St. John’s last year, bringing hopes of revitalizing the Big East program. His decorated coaching career includes NCAA championships with Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013, though his tenure at Louisville was marred by controversies leading to the annulment of the 2013 title.
Despite his dismissal from Louisville in 2017 amid a corruption investigation into college basketball recruiting, Pitino was later exonerated by the NCAA. Before his current role at St. John’s, Pitino coached at Iona College and had stints as the head coach for NBA’s New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, as well as various college teams and international clubs.
As the investigation into the theft continues, the community awaits further details and hopes for the recovery of the stolen items.
Associated media – Linked media
