A rash of armed robberies near the University of Minnesota campus in recent weeks has shaken students easing into the spring semester and renewed concerns about security on and around the campus.
The most recent attack occurred in the early morning hours Sunday, when three men wearing hoodies robbed a man who was walking in the area of SE. 8th Street and 12th Avenue SE., near campus. Police revealed few details about the three male suspects, but said the latest robbery was unlike a string of earlier armed stickups in the area.
Those crimes, police said, appear to have been the work of a pair of men in their 20s, who usually approached their unsuspecting victims after dark, flashed a black gun and stole their valuables. In three of the four robberies, the suspects made off with students' cash, electronics and school IDs. A fourth attempt was thwarted when a student yelled for help and the robbers fled.
As of Monday afternoon, police hadn't made any arrests.
Police officials contend that crime is always a concern on urban campuses like the U's, particularly ones that have experienced as much change as the U.
The area surrounding campus has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, with the construction of dozens of sleek new apartment buildings and the opening of the light-rail Green Line.
"Anytime that you have a larger number of people, and more transportation in and out, you run the risk of having more issues and challenges," John Elder, Minneapolis police spokesman, said Monday. "We're absolutely seeing an influx of people coming in from surrounding communities."
In response to the latest surge of robberies, Minneapolis police sent extra patrols near campus and the nearby Marcy Holmes neighborhood.