In light of a recent armed robbery of a UW-Madison student on North Mills Street, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas released a statement Monday urging students to focus on personal safety.
""It's impossible to ensure everyone's complete safety and people need to take the best precautions they can moving around not just on campus but anywhere in the city,"" Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said.
According to the incident report, the 20-year-old female was robbed at gunpoint Saturday evening while walking along a bike path around 7:40 p.m.
The suspect is described as a 20- to 25-year-old male, possibly Asian, 5 feet 6 inches tall and 150 pounds with a medium build.
An additional incident occurred near Edgewood College, on the 400 block of Allen Street, Sunday morning when a 21-year-old Madison woman was tackled by a stranger as she stretched before her run.
The attacker is described as a white male age 20 to 29, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a slender build and spiky brown hair.
DeSpain said he does not believe the two crimes are connected.
Nevertheless, he said students should do their best to protect themselves by walking in well-lit areas and making sure they're not walking alone.
""The things that your parents told you when you were young about having a buddy system and having a plan about where you are going, how you're going to get there, how you're going to get home; all those things still hold up as you go to college,"" DeSpain said.
Lucas echoed this sentiment, reminding students to make use of SAFE Nighttime Services and carry a cell phone.
""If you intend to drink, do so in moderation so as not to put yourself in a position of increased risk,"" Lucas said in a statement.
DeSpain said MPD works closely with the UW Madison Police Department and ""the people on Bascom Hill"" to promote safety on campus.
Students are still encouraged to call police if they see suspicious activity.
