MEMPHIS, Tenn. — University of Memphis students say criminals aren’t even trying to hid what they’re up to.
“In broad daylight. It was 11 a.m. on campus with the police right there,” a U of M student said.
He didn’t want to show his face. But he says, two months ago he was sitting in a parking lot near The Gathers when a group of guys surrounded him.
“He motioned at his waist like he had a gun.”
The student says they all looked teenagers, so it didn’t scare him at first when one of them tried to rob him.
“He said he was going to shoot me. Then he said, ‘I’ll hit you.”
The students says he was able to hit the gas and reverse out of the parking lot. He still filed a police report, and the teenagers were picked up later.
“I am confused and sad at the same time. It’s sad that people are willing to resort to that.”
He’s not the only one shaking his head.
Andrew Powell is watching his back after hearing a similar stick up in the same parking lot happened just two weeks ago.
“A guy and his girlfriend were walking from the parking lot and a group of guys with black hoods came up, put a gun to her head and told the boyfriend to hand over his keys.”
Powell says the group told the man to give up the car or they would shoot his girlfriend.
WREG reached out to the chief of campus police, but we’re still waiting to hear back.
Jennifer Taylor says because of the campus email system she always knows when something happens.
“Not too long ago, there was something that happened on the corner of Spottwood and Goodman. That’s close to where I live.”
She says the campus sends out the same alert a few times. For her, feeling safe comes from being informed.
The campus does offer The Tiger Escort to make students feel more comfortable while walking on campus.