CHICAGO — At least four more DePaul University students were robbed on the school’s Lincoln Park campus last night. It’s the latest in a string of violent crimes on the campus.
In the first incident, an 18-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man, and a 16-year-old girl were robbed while seated in the school’s quad on the 2300 block of North Seminary, according to Chicago police. Two men approached them around 10:10 p.m. Saturday and one robber demanded property from the older victims. Another robber battered and robbed the 16-year-old, CPD said.
Both robbers fled in a silver sedan, a Chicago police spokesperson said. The 16-year-old declined medical attention.
DePaul offered a different version of events in an email to its community on Sunday morning:
It was reported to Public Safety that was a strong robbery in the quad area off of Seminary and Belden occurred around 10:07 PM on [September 23]. Two male offenders wearing black hoodie and gray pants approached several people sitting on the hill in the quad. The two male offenders demanded their cell phone property of two people sitting on the hill and fled southbound on Seminary.
Then, at 2:05 a.m., two 19-year-old women were robbed at gunpoint in the 2200 block of North Racine.
Police said the women were walking when four men dressed in black clothing exited a vehicle and demanded their property while displaying a handgun.
The gunman struck one of the women in the forehead with his firearm after she initially refused to cooperate, according to CPD.
After getting valuables from both victims, the men escaped in the car they arrived in.
Police said the injured woman was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.
Once again, DePaul provided a slightly different account of the incident in an email to its community:
Three students were the victim of an Armed Robbery, and one was also the victim of Battery when she was struck in the face with a gun. The three students were approached by four offenders wearing dark colored clothes, hoodies and masks on the corner of Belden and Racine when the offenders jumped out of a vehicle and demanded the three students cell phones, wallets and purses. The offenders then fled southbound on Racine in a silver-colored Toyota Prime.
No suspect descriptions were provided for either incident.
Last Sunday, two DePaul students were maced and robbed in the 1200 block of West Belden. The victims, who are a couple, were on the sidewalk when five men pulled up in a gray SUV. According to the spokesperson, the men grabbed the woman’s property and then pepper-sprayed both victims when the boyfriend intervened.
After punching the boyfriend, the group returned to the car and fled.
On Saturday, September 9, three robberies were reported in under 30 minutes on or near the school’s campus.
Those incidents prompted the university’s president to publish a long, public letter in which he acknowledged the “sad reality” of Chicago’s crime problem.
Previous coverage
- DePaul students among several targeted in North Side robbery spree; more cases reported in Wicker Park, West Town (September 17, 2023)
- After students are robbed in weekend crime spree, DePaul acknowledges ‘sad reality’ of Chicago crime (September 10, 2023)
- Women attacked, robbed in a series of robberies near DePaul University campus overnight (September 9, 2023)
- DePaul student among 4 victims in overnight robbery, carjacking spree (June 29, 2023)
- CPD warns again of Lincoln Park robbery spike; DePaul student among latest victims (June 14, 2023)
Editor’s note: CPD initially stated the first robbery occurred indoors. The story has been updated to reflect corrected information from the department.
Original reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click here to support our work.
