A University of Chicago student bravely thwarted an armed robbery attempt this week, successfully seizing a vital piece of evidence that has since been handed over to detectives for investigation.
The harrowing ordeal unfolded as captured by surveillance footage. Madelyn, a 21-year-old senior majoring in economics, was making her way home from class on Wednesday afternoon when she encountered a masked assailant in the 5600 block of South University.
“I saw a man in a ski mask approaching me,” Madelyn recounted, “and I tried to keep moving.”
The man brandished a firearm and demanded her cell phone, escalating the encounter into a potentially life-threatening situation.
“He demanded my phone,” Madelyn recalled, “and that’s when he revealed the gun.”
On the surveillance video, the struggle between Madelyn and her attacker unfolds before several onlookers.
“He was reaching for my phone,” Madelyn remembered, “and I was pulling it behind my back.”
The details of what followed are somewhat hazy for Madelyn, but amidst the chaos, she managed to wrest control of the gun.
“In the struggle, I managed to remove the magazine from his firearm and threw it into a nearby bush. But in that moment, I wasn’t fully aware of what I was grabbing.”
Though the perpetrator absconded with Madelyn’s phone, law enforcement later recovered it, along with the discarded magazine.
Reflecting on her experience, Madelyn cautions against resistance in similar situations.
“I didn’t fully comprehend the gravity of the situation,” she admitted. “It all happened so quickly. I would advise others to simply surrender their belongings during an armed robbery. Engaging in a physical altercation may not be the safest course of action.”
Madelyn was one of three University of Chicago students targeted in armed robbery incidents on Wednesday. While the school has bolstered police patrols in response, Madelyn believes more proactive measures are necessary to ensure the safety of students.
“This university possesses ample resources,” she asserted. “There are avenues to enhance security measures so that students aren’t subjected to such threats in broad daylight.”
