3 University of Chicago students robbed at gunpoint on campus
University of Chicago police are looking for a group of armed robbers who targeted three students on campus Saturday morning.
Around 5:15 a.m., the students were walking on the sidewalk in the 5800 block of South Dorchester Avenue in the Hyde Park neighborhood when they were approached by four to five unknown armed people who exited a white Alfa Romeo SUV.
The suspects demanded and took the victim's property before returning to the vehicle with no license plates and drove away, last seen heading southbound on Dorchester, the school said.
Hours later, a CBS News Chicago crew found a discarded wallet and a couple student IDs in the same area. It was unclear if those were connected to the three students who were robbed at gunpoint, but the wallet and IDs were turned over to University of Chicago police.
Students said they're worried about the robbery.
"It was pretty concerning to see."
"Obviously, we're in a city, and so these things happen, but yeah, it's very close to where I live, so I was sort of surprised to see that it was in this area," Caroline Montag said.
It was unsettling for students like Ermeen Choudhury, but not unfamiliar.
"I think it's just kind of the reality that we all have at UChicago, unfortunately," she said. "You know, a few of my friends have been mugged around this area, too, at 10 p.m., or sometimes in broad daylight. So, unfortunately, not very surprising."
A safety alert on Saturday from the university, notifying students of the robbery, reminded them to be alert, walk in groups, and avoid using cell phones on the street.
"The best I can do is stay vigilant, but there's honestly no protecting myself besides that," Choudhury said.
The robbery was an unnerving reality check for every student on campus.
"It's definitely unfortunate, and I feel horrible for the students that it happened to, for sure," Choudhury said.
No injuries were reported during the robbery. University of Chicago police were investigating.
