Three University of Chicago students were held at gunpoint and robbed early Saturday morning in a disturbing incident on the Hyde Park campus.
According to an email from the university, the armed robbery occurred around 5:15 a.m. in the 5800 block of South Dorchester Avenue. Four to five armed individuals emerged from a white Alfa Romeo SUV, which had no license plates, and stole the victims’ belongings before fleeing south on Dorchester.
Thankfully, none of the students were physically harmed. University of Chicago police are actively investigating the crime, though no suspects have been identified or taken into custody at this time.
The lack of a physical description of the offenders raises concerns about crime prevention and security in the area. This latest incident of students being robbed underscores the growing need for stronger public safety measures to protect students and residents alike.
The University of Chicago, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the city’s South Side, has long struggled with crime and public safety concerns. Despite being one of the nation’s most prestigious universities, the surrounding area has historically dealt with high crime rates, which have at times spilled onto campus.
The university operates its own police department, the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), which is one of the largest private police forces in the country. However, crime—including armed robberies, carjackings, and violent assaults—remains a persistent issue. In recent years, students and faculty have raised concerns about campus safety, particularly following several high-profile incidents, including the fatal shooting of a Chinese graduate student in 2021.
Local crime trends in Chicago, which has faced rising levels of violent crime under progressive leadership, have only heightened these concerns. While the university has increased patrols and security measures, critics argue that the city’s lax enforcement policies and soft-on-crime approach have made the area more dangerous.
The recent armed robbery of three students near campus is just the latest example of the ongoing public safety crisis, further fueling debates over policing, security, and crime prevention in Democrat-run cities.
