'U' on alert after pipe beating, robbery
The University of Minnesota has issued a crime alert after a man was robbed at gunpoint and assaulted while walking near the West Bank campus over the weekend.

According to police, the 22-year-old victim—who does not attend or work at the school—was robbed near Anderson Hall on Saturday at about 2:30 a.m.

The man was approached by a group of four to six other men who hit him with a metal pipe, and then kicked and punched him. The suspects made off with the victim’s watch and car keys.

The victim was taken to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries.

ROBBERY - West Bank

POSTED: FEBRUARY 12, 2009

On Saturday, February 7 at approximately 2:30 a.m., a 22-year-old male who is not affiliated with the University of Minnesota was the victim of an armed robbery and assault on the West Bank Plaza near Anderson Hall.

The victim was walking across the West Bank Plaza when he was approached by a group of four to six males. The group assaulted the victim, striking him with a metal pipe and kicking and punching him. During the assault, the suspects took the victim's watch and car keys.

The victim eventually fled to safety, but did sustain injuries that required medical treatment. While the attack occurred on February 7, the UMPD did not receive an official report of the incident until February 10.

All suspects in the attack were described as East African males, approximately 18 to 22 years old, wearing baggy clothing.

One suspect was described as being approximately six feet to six feet one inch tall, with a light build and wearing a dark hat, brown or tan multi-square coat.

A second suspect was described as six feet tall with a light build and wearing black wool coat.

A third suspect was described as five feet, eight inches tall, with a stocky build and wearing a dark brown hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the University of Minnesota Police Department at 612-624-COPS (2677).

As a reminder, racial descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on an individual. In cases of serious crime such as this we may include them only as part of the totality of circumstances, if it may reasonably assist in the identification of the perpetrators.
Please remember the following:

* When threatened with a weapon, it's best not to resist. Your personal safety is more important than a lost wallet or cell phone. ***
* Always be aware of your surroundings
* Walk in well lit areas and don't walk alone. If you can't find someone to walk with, call the Campus Escort service at 612-624-WALK for a free security escort.
* Carry minimal amounts of valuables
* Keep written records of valuables, including model and serial numbers, in a safe place
* Call 911 immediately if you are the victim or witness to a crime
* Document information about the suspect for police (i.e. clothing descriptions, facial features, piercings or tattoos, speech, etc.)

This Crime Alert is sent in compliance with the federal Clery Act which requires universities to alert the campus community of crimes that may pose an ongoing threat to students and employees. For updates on any developments in this case, please visit the Crime Alerts page on the UMPD website: http://www1.umn.edu/police/alerts.html

From the U of M police:


*** How exactly do they get away with continuing to spout that contrafactual drivel?

When threatened with a weapon, it's best not to resist. Just hand over your wallet, cell phone, watch, car keys, etc and hope they don't hurt you. But if they do, don't worry. After all, the human body can often handle the abuse of a few punches, kicks, or even strikes from a metal pipe. And the University and HCMC hospitals are mere blocks away in case you need their services afterward.