Female St. Joe's students robbed, assaulted days apart: 'It's definitely shocking'
PHILADELPHIA - Students at St. Joe's University are on edge after a female student was robbed on Tuesday night, and another was punched in an unprovoked attack just days later.
"It's definitely shocking when it doesn't happen that often," Maddie Matier, a Senior, told FOX 29 News.
Meanwhile, the school is encouraging students to remain "calm and vigilant" while on campus as they work with the Philadelphia Police Department to investigate both incidents.
What we know
Officials say a female student at St. Joseph's University was robbed on Tuesday night near 54th Street and Woodcrest Avenue. Less than 48 hours later, another female student was punched in the face in an unprovoked broad daylight attack near Cardinal and Overbrook.
Authorities say the assault suspect is a 5-foot-10 Black man in his early 20s, wearing black shorts and a camouflage hoodie. It's unknown if the suspect is the same person in both incidents.
What they're saying
As police continue to investigate both incidents, officials at St. Joe's are encouraging students to remain "calm and vigilant." A St. Joe's spokesperson told FOX 29 News that safety is the school's top concern.
Students, meanwhile, appear mostly confident about the school's overall safety and communication with the community about crime.
"I think they handled it well, public safety is always out and about," said St. Joe's freshman Julia Hoffman.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
