Armed man robs student outside Palmer Residence Hall
An unidentified armed man robbed a male student outside Palmer Residence Hall shortly before midnight on Nov. 6. The student was not injured.
University Police say the suspect may be the same unidentified man who robbed another student late at night on Oct. 17, near Collins Residence Hall. The victim was not injured in that case, either.
In the Nov. 6 incident, the student told police he was walking alone from Reynolds Library to Palmer Residence Hall when the robbery occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m.
The student reported that the suspect followed him for a short while before running up to him from behind and brandishing a silver-colored pistol. The suspect took the student’s wallet, containing identification and a small amount of cash.
Police say the student was in Parking Lot U, in a lighted area next to the residence hall, when the robbery took place. The suspect fled on foot. The victim reported the theft immediately to Palmer Residence Hall staff, who contacted campus police at 11:50 p.m.
The victim described the suspect as wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt. The suspect was similar in size to the man wanted in the October robbery. He is 6 feet tall and slender (weighing approximately 170 pounds). The suspect in the previous case wore a similar sweatshirt. Victims in both cases described the suspect as having dark skin.
University Police investigators have informed area law enforcement agencies about the incidents. In the first case, the victim did not see a weapon, but told police that the suspect pressed an unidentified object against his lower back.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Campus Crime Stoppers at 758-4477 or the University Police non-emergency number at 758-5591. To reach University Police in an emergency, call 911 from a campus telephone.
The university’s news service notified students, faculty and staff about both robberies through campus-wide e-mail messages. The most recent message was distributed Nov. 7.
