HOUSTON – A University of Houston student was robbed at gunpoint just across from a campus entrance, UH police reported.
University officials issued an alert after police said a student reported being robbed while walking on Holman near Scott around 2 p.m. Sunday.
"I read it to him and, 'Oh, look at this'," said sophomore Joakim Andreassen who received a security alert that was e-mailed and texted to all students.
Police said the student told officers two men drove up in a car, pointed a gun at him and demanded "his property and cellphone." Police said the student was not hurt. Neither of the robbers has been caught.
"It's easier to be protected in campus, but outside, that's a different story," said freshman, Tkara Washington. "It teaches you not to be walking off campus by yourself."
"My friends were like don't walk around there alone, at night especially," said freshman Isaac Lee.
While startling, students told Local 2 they feel safe on campus where more than 70 emergency call boxes can summon help quickly. However, some students said Sunday's robbery is making them take extra precautions when off campus.
"During the daylight, I thought it would be fine, but this happened during the daylight as well, so it's scary," said graduate student Kyla Knox. "I've been parking kind of off campus and I think that might change my attitude towards walking to my car. I might actually start walking with a friend now."
On Monday, some students were being extra cautious about their safety.
"I got to school early," student Amanda Luviano said. "I watched who was getting out of vehicles at the same time."
According to the University's website, this is the fourth security alert issued this year regarding students being attacked off campus.
An alert posted in January reported a student was knocked to the ground by three men and was robbed of his wallet on Wheeler just across from the University's entrance #6.
An alert posted in April read three men wearing ski masks forced a female student behind a gas station on Elgin near Scott. The alert reported the men tried to sexually assault the student but she was able to fight off her attackers.
An alert posted last month read a student was knocked to the ground and robbed at gunpoint in the south parking lot of Cullen Oaks on Cullen.