Tufts Student Robbed at Knifepoint

Student robbed, escapes abduction

A female student was robbed at knifepoint on Leonard Street on Sunday night, according to the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD), which posted safety alerts about the incident in dormitories.

The suspect, a man who remains at large, trailed the victim as she walked home from Davis Square and then accosted her with a knife at about 9:30 p.m., demanding her phone and wallet, according to the TUPD alert. After the student gave the suspect the items, he told her, "Come on, you're coming with me," but when a car passed by, the victim took advantage of the distraction and escaped to a friend's house.

Interviewed yesterday evening, TUPD Sgt. Darren Weisse said Tufts police did not immediately send an e-mail to the student body about the crime, which occurred blocks from campus, because of "standard procedure."
When asked to elaborate, he declined. TUPD did send out an e-mail later that evening, roughly 24 hours after the crime occurred.

Weisse said that TUPD has limited information regarding the incident because it fell within the jurisdiction of the Somerville Police. Somerville officials could not be reached for comment yesterday evening.

The Somerville Police Department contacted TUPD on Sunday night after the incident, and the TUPD responded by posting alerts in dormitories, according to Weisse.

"When we have something that happens near campus, we go out and post alerts in all the buildings," Weisse said.

The alert describes the suspect as a "white male, late 20's-30's, 6', with a heavy build" and urges any students with information regarding his whereabouts or identity to contact TUPD.