UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. — A Washington University student was hit in the face during an attempted armed robbery near the university's north campus early Sunday morning.
An alert from the Washington University emergency management system said the male student got out of his car near the intersection of Leeland and Vernon avenues at around 12:40 Sunday morning. As he was walking away from his car, three people walked up to him, and an armed man demanded his car keys.
The alert said one of the other people grabbed the student's keys and hit him in the face.
When the student began to fight back, the man dropped his keys and all three ran off.
The University City Police Department is investigating the incident.
The Washington University Police Department provided the following precautions for students:
- Be alert to your surroundings. Do not sit in your car to text or use electronic devices, and be observant while walking. If you suspect you are being followed, run in a different direction; go to the other side of the street and yell or whistle for help; or head quickly to a lighted area, a group of people, or business • Carry a whistle to summon help.
- Be extra cautious if someone approaches you or your vehicle and asks for information or if someone asks to use your cell phone.
- If you are confronted by a thief, give them what they want and don’t chase them as they leave. Report suspicious persons or activity immediately to the Police.
- Consider using Metro’s public transportation system. For more information visit the Transportation Options page at transportation.wustl.edu.
- Download the WashU Safe App.