By Brian Ray

Three days. Three crimes. Three crime reports.

Over the course of seven days two University of Louisville students and a non-student were assaulted and robbed, with the crimes reported to the U of L Department of Public Safety, April 1-3.

All three crime reports were sent out to students via e-mail warning of the violent behavior and descriptions of the suspects.

DPS issued a statement via e-mail on Saturday addressing the recent crime alerts, stating that the crimes are currently being investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department. DPS is working with LMPD to follow up on tips and provide a greater police presence around campus.

“We are very good at getting information out right now,” said DPS Major Kenneth Brown. “But three crime reports in three days is very unusual for us.”

The first crime occurred on March 27 around 11:35 p.m., when a U of L student walking to his vehicle behind Kurz Hall, was robbed at knifepoint. However, the crime was not reported to university police until April 2.

The next crime occurred in the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium parking lot, as a non-student was walking home from Tailgaters Sports Bar. Five suspects had followed him from the bar and at about 1:40 a.m. the victim was struck in the chest with an unknown object, robbed of his wallet and then struck in his face.

The most recent robbery occurred April 2 at Stansbury Park, the Metro Park located just south of the fraternity complexes. A U of L student reported that at approximately 10:56 p.m., he was alone at the swing set in the park when two suspects approached him and asked for a cigarette. One suspect proceeded to pull out a handgun and made the victim empty his pockets, took his cell phone and both fled on foot.

In light of these recent crime reports, some on campus have stressed the need to remain cautious when out late at night.

Joshua Herbert, sophomore anthropology major and resident of Center Hall, close to where the recent robbery took place, said he feels safe in the dorms on campus, but is wary of walking in the surrounding neighborhoods.

“I often go for walks around the neighborhood and occasionally I walk around campus alone at night,” Herbert said. “I stay close to well lit areas and I’ve seen other people doing the same at night too.”

Crime, both on and off campus, has revealed itself to be an ongoing trend throughout the spring semester.

In January, two men turned themselves in after allegedly kidnapping and robbing a U of L student. The student was accosted at the intersection of Cardinal Blvd. and Brook St. and taken at gunpoint back to his van parked by Kurz Hall. The student was then robbed and told to drive to an ATM to get an undisclosed amount of cash.

One of the two suspects later turned himself into DPS and the other was apprehended.

With the rash of criminal activity over the past few months, many students have begun to question their own safety on campus, as well as the ability of DPS to provide a secure environment.

Junior pre-medicine and political science major Joshua Masters started a Facebook group in February addressing campus safety, giving students a chance to voice their opinions about it.

“Students need reassurance they are safe while on campus and they currently do not [have that],” Masters said. “Students need to bring awareness to the issue so public safety officers on the job are attentive and the service they are being paid to provide is evaluated and improved.”

Freshman undeclared major Mat Hamilton said that he feels a greater police presence around campus is necessary to provide a safer environment.

“I’m not saying that I wish for our campus to go on complete lockdown,” Hamilton said, “but stepping up security in order to show that there is actually a police presence on campus is our best bet.”

For students on campus, DPS offers an escort service throughout the night which can be accessed by dialing 852-6111.