Late Friday night, approximately 10 blocks north of campus, four female Saint Louis University students exiting a party were robbed at gunpoint and their vehicle stolen.

The party occurred at the residence of several SLU students in the 3600 block of Cook Ave.

The group of females was approached by an African American man wearing a blue bandanna over his face.

The assailant demanded one of the girl’s purses.

Another car containing two African American men pulled up alongside the group and demanded the keys to the GMC Yukon the girls were heading toward.

After receiving the keys, the assailant entered the Yukon and drove off, followed by the other vehicle.

Once the situation was safe, the students contacted the St. Louis Police Department, which filed a preliminary report.

As the crime occurred outside of SLU’s general vicinity, the Department of Public Safety was not contacted directly.

DPS Community-Oriented Policing Service Officer Connie Tillman learned of the story through the “rumor mill.”

“Whenever any students in my buildings are involved, I want to talk with them,” Tillman said.

If such an event should occur, Tillman advises students always to walk with their heads up and with a purpose.

According to what the students told Tillman, they were more aware when entering the party than when leaving.

“As they were coming out, they let their guard down,” Tillman added.

Tillman said that the students reacted well to the situation.

“[The students] were very smart about how they handled the situation; they handled it with a lot of common sense,” Tillman said.

Jack Titone, director of DPS, explained, “The area north of Washington Avenue has been known to be a high-crime area.”

“I was shocked to find some of our students living over there,” Titone said.

“It’s not the best neighborhood to be residing in,” he added.

Titone advises students always to be aware of their surroundings and not to go into high-crime areas.