Fourth Student Robbed near Johnson & Wales University

In the past two weeks, robbers have targeted four different students near the uptown campus of Johnson & Wales University.  The latest incident occurred last night in the fourth ward when a student was sitting on the front steps of an apartment around 11 pm on West 5th Street when he was approached by a man who pointed a gun at his stomach and demanded money.  The victim did not have any money so he gave the robber his cell phone and the suspect ran away.

Prior to the robbery last night, two students were robbed last Sunday and another was robbed last Tuesday evening. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Johnson & Wales University issued a crime alert to students last Wednesday warning them about the two previous incidents.

According to the warning e-mail, a female student was robbed around 8:30 pm last Tuesday night.  She told police she was leaving the library and walked up W Trade Street near a railroad overpass when a man walked up and started talking with her. The student said the man then showed her a gun in his waistband, demanded her purse and walked away.  She described the suspect as a black male with a slender build who is between 30-40 years old.

Last Sunday night, two other Johnson & Wales students were robbed at gunpoint near the campus. The incident happened around 10:30 pm. in the 300 block of South Cedar Street.  The victims told police three men came running up behind them, brandished a gun and forced them to lie down. The robbers stole the victims' cell phones, wallets, debit cards and cash.  Johnson & Wales Security can be reached at 980-598-1900.