NEAR WEST SIDE — A University of Illinois at Chicago student was punched and robbed Wednesday evening — an attack that came less than a week after another student was attacked near campus, police said.
In the first incident, the student was between the school's west and east campuses in the 1200 block of W. Flournoy St., at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, when two men approached, UIC police said.
One man grabbed the student's cell phone and identification, police said. Another man walked up from behind and punched the student in the back of the head, knocking the student to the ground.
The first attacker was described as a black man, about 6-foot-1, between 17 and 18 years old. He was wearing a dark blue cap, dark jeans and a dark blue jacket.
The second attacker was also described as a black man between 17 and 18 years old, about 5-foot-10. Police said he was wearing a red-and-white-colored baseball cap.
The student refused medical attention following the attack, officials said.
The incident comes less than a week after another student was robbed near campus on the 600 block of West Roosevelt Road. In that incident, at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, a student was walking when a man approached, pointed an object under his shirt at the victim, and demanded the student's laptop, police said.
"A fight ensued and the offender dropped a screwdriver from underneath his shirt," UIC police said in a statement.
The offender shoved the student, who fell into the snow, and "began to strike him with closed fists," police said. The man then fled the scene in a waiting silver Chevy Tahoe. The student's laptop, however, was not taken.
That student was treated for a minor injury to his head at UIC hospital.
In that case, the offender was described as a black man in his early 20s, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9, 140-150 pounds.
No arrests have been made in either incident, UIC spokesman Bill Burton said.
UIC police warned students and the greater campus community to be aware of their surroundings and to not wear headphones when walking alone. They also "strongly recommend complying" with attackers if their "intent appears to be property or valuables."
Anyone with information about either robbery should call UIC police at 312-996-2830.
