Two unidentified suspects assaulted and robbed a male University student Saturday around 10 p.m., University Police Lieut. Melissa Fielding said.
She said the robbery took place near the Amphitheater, in the breezeway between Bryan Hall and New Cabell Hall.
“The suspects demanded money and his iPod,” and one of the suspects “struck the victim in the face” by hand, Fielding said. Both suspects then fled on foot.
Fielding said the victim was treated at the University Hospital for minor injuries but was later released. The case remains an open investigation, Fielding said.
“We do not have any similar reported incidents on Grounds, [so it is] too difficult to determine if this is linked to any other case,” she said.
Similar cases tend to occur in off-Grounds areas heavily populated by students because of the “better visibility on Grounds” and the number of people present, Fielding noted. She added, however, that students should still take cautionary measures to help prevent on-Grounds crime from occurring.
Becky Campbell, the crime prevention community relations officer for University Police, said the most important thing students can do is “be aware of what’s going on” around them at all times.
Fielding said students should avoid cell phone conversations or listening to music while walking, as both can be distracting.
“Students can have their cell phones ready but not be talking on it,” Campbell said.
Walking in groups or using Safe Ride and the bus system — especially after dark — also can help keep students safe, Campbell added.
“The most important thing is not to be distracted, even in the daytime,” Campbell said.
Additionally, both Fielding and Campbell said it remains critical for students to report any suspicious activity immediately. If a situation makes a student feel uncomfortable in any way, then he or she should immediately call 911 before speaking to anyone else, Campbell said. Fielding also noted that there are more than 200 blue light phones scattered across Grounds that can connect students directly to the University Police.
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