A daylight armed robbery and assault over the weekend outside an off-campus student housing complex near the University of Minnesota has prompted school officials to issue a crime alert.

The incident is one of several serious crimes that have occurred in the university area in recent weeks, including reports of women being sexually assaulted.

The latest crime occurred about 8:45 a.m. Saturday at a University Avenue bus stop in front of University Village between 25th and 26th Avenues SE., campus police said.

According to the U police alert, issued Monday:

A 21-year-old Minneapolis man — school officials say he is not affiliated with the university — was approached by two men who asked him for the time. One revealed a handgun, demanded the man's possessions and punched him in the face. The suspects stole the man's wallet, cellphone and backpack before fleeing on foot.

The suspect with the gun was described to police as black, 25 to 30 years old, about 6 feet tall, with a heavy build and a medium complexion. He was wearing a black and gray jacket and a black stocking cap. His cohort was described as black, 22 to 25 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a slender build and a medium complexion. He was wearing a red, green and orange jacket, and a black stocking cap.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 612-692-8477.

Paul Walsh