Security steps up after three armed robberies near IUPUI
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is looking for the persons responsible for three armed robberies on Tuesday near the campus of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. Police said they believe the suspects are the same in all three cases.
On Wednesday, some said they noticed more IMPD police cars in the area where the armed robberies occurred.
Ariel Quickery, an IUPUI graduate student said, “It puts me at ease knowing that help is not too far away, but he still has to get to where the danger’s at so there’s still a delay.”
An IUPUI sophomore student, Drew, was one of the armed robbery victims. Drew, who asked 24-Hour News 8 not to use his last name, said he had just finished taking a final exam and was on his cell phone talking to his father while walking to his Lockefield Gardens apartment when he was robbed at gunpoint.
Drew said, “I noticed he came down the sidewalk and walked right up to me and he held his gun up to me and said, “Give me the money. Give me the f***ing money.’,”
Drew said the robber took his cell phone, keys, and wallet, which had about $40 inside of it.
Drew said, “He just backed off and he said, ‘If you tell anyone what happened I’m gong to kill you. I know where you live now.’”
All three armed robberies happened within a six-hour span on Tuesday. IUPUI sent an emergency text to students, some of whom had final exams on Tuesday, telling them to shelter in place.
University spokesman, Richard Schneider said in an email, “There were only a few courses with exams scheduled yesterday, and the schools are reaching out through the professors to accommodate students who might have been impacted by Tuesday afternoon’s events.”
IUPUI Police Department said they were requested for 28 escorts on Tuesday. The department said they were unsure if that’s more than usual as the number of students and staff who take advantage of the free service “varies day by day”.
One of the armed robbery victims described the suspect as a black man, 6’3″ to 6’4″ tall who was wearing with a black hoodie, blue jeans and a hat with yellow writing. Other victims said they were robbed by two people. They described the suspects as two black men: one is 6’4″ tall, with a thin build, wearing a black sweatshirt with neon green writing on the front. The second suspect is described as 5’9″to 5’10” tall.
Anyone with information about the armed robberies is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS (8477).
