UW-Milwaukee student robbed at gunpoint: 'I didn't think living on Oakland would be a problem'

MILWAUKEE -- A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student was robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday morning, Sept. 18.

It happened around 12:05 a.m. on Oakland Avenue near Hartford Avenue.

According to UWM police, the robber approached a student, pointed a gun, and demanded their property.

The robber obtained the victim’s cellphone and fled as a passenger in a white, four-door sedan. The vehicle was last seen traveling southbound on N. Bartlett Avenue.

The robber was described as a man, black, in his 20s. He was wearing a dark red sweatshirt with a white undershirt.

Alex Laundrie

News of the crime spread quickly on campus. Students said they were shaken, but not shocked.

"I didn't think living on Oakland would be a problem," said Alex Laundrie, UWM student. "Yeah, that's what freaked us out."

"It was really scary," said Yasmin Afifi, UWM student. "My roommate and I locked all our doors."

Students said they considered this part of Oakland Avenue, just a block off campus, safe, but this violent crime changed some opinions and routines.

"I have night class, so that's why it's freaky to know that stuff can happen," said Laundrie.

Yasmin Afifi

"I've walked alone by myself, and now, I don't want to," said Afifi. "I don't know. It makes you feel unsafe."

If you have any information about this incident, please call the Milwaukee Police Department Tip Line at 414-935 7360.

Meanwhile, UWM police reminded students to remain aware of their surroundings, and report suspicious behavior to police. The UWM Police Department non-emergency line, 414-229-4627, is answered 24 hours a day.

UWM officials also encouraged students to download the Guardian app, which lets friends and loved ones know where you are during your walk home, and it also has a one-touch feature that allows you to call police.