Undergrad fights off armed assailant

A Johns Hopkins University undergraduate fought off his armed assailant during the course of a robbery that occurred on Sunday at 7:35 p.m. on Hargrove Street, an alleyway between North Charles and St. Paul Streets.

The student reported to Hopkins Security that he had been walking east on the 100 block of E. 30th Street when he heard someone yelling in the alley. As he turned into the alley, "he felt a hard object against his back," according to the Hopkins Security report. When he turned around, he was faced with an assailant in a black ski mask, black pants and jacket, who was pointing a handgun at him.

According to the report, the suspect told the student to "Give it up." When the student responded that he had nothing, the suspect responded, "Give it up, I know you have something."

The suspect then "started to tuck the gun into his waist," at which point the student "grabbed the suspect's gun hand and hit the suspect in the head," according to the report.

The suspect fell to the ground, dropping his weapon, and the student "then kicked the suspect in the chest area and took off running east on 30th Street," according to the report. He went to a friend's apartment, where he proceeded to call Hopkins Security.

The student did not look back to determine in which direction the suspect fled, but Hopkins Security reported that he likely fled south on Hargrove Street. The Baltimore City Police Department (BCPD) responded and canvassed the area, but no suspects were found.

The student sustained a bruise to his left hand, but declined medical attention.

Officer Dennis Rosemary of Hopkins Security predicts that BCPD robbery detectives will concentrate extra efforts on this specific incident, since the suspect's description and actions are similar to those of a suspect being sought for previous crimes.

"I think if you look back at reports, this is not the only [crime] of that type," said Rosemary.

According to Officer Troy Harris of the BCPD Public Relations Department, civilians are generally discouraged from resisting armed assailants.

"Luckily, [the student] had little to no injuries, but we don't advise anyone to take these matters into their own hands," said Harris. "Nothing in their wallet or purse is worth their life."

Rosemary declined to comment on the student's actions, but the security bulletin published by Hopkins Security twice stated that "When confronting an armed robber it is better to relinquish property than to risk serious injury."

Harris noted that the earlier onset of darkness during this time of year should cause students to become increasingly aware of their surroundings.