University Police are investigating an assault and what could be an attempted robbery that occurred on South Campus early Thursday morning.
At 1:38 a.m., three UB students were playing Frisbee in the Main-Bailey Parking lot on South Campus when the suspect approached the students, asked if he could join the game and then punched one of the students in the face. The victim’s glasses were damaged. As the suspect was leaving, he picked up one of the students’ wallets and looked through it before dropping it.
UPD does not believe the suspect is a UB student based on the direction in which the suspect came and left.
According to Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Sticht, UPD is unsure of whether or not it was an attempted robbery because the student’s wallet wasn’t on them at the time. The wallet was sitting far off on the ground as the students played Frisbee.
The suspect is described as a dark-skinned black male in his early 20’s, thin build, dressed in black sweatpants and a black hooded sweatshirt with unknown writing on the front, according to the UB alert sent out this morning.
UPD is looking back at video recordings and Sticht said it didn’t look like the students’ behavior caused the suspect to react violently.
UPD urges students to be aware of their surroundings, avoid walking alone and report any unusual circumstances.
Gabriela Julia is the senior news editor and can be reached at gabriela.julia@ubspectrum.com. Follow her on Twitter at @gabrielaaJulia.
