A DePaul University student was shot while running away during an attempted robbery blocks from the university’s campus overnight, according to authorities.
Police said the 18-year-old was walking on a sidewalk in the Lincoln Park neighborhood when he was approached by two men, one of whom had a gun.
The armed man demanded the teen’s belongings and the teen tried to flee, officials said. Moments later, shots were fired and the student was hit in the left leg.
A safety alert from the school reported the shooting happened around 1 a.m. in the 1100 block of Lill Avenue. Chicago Police reported the incident took place just before midnight in the 2600 block of North Sheffield Avenue, however.
The victim did tell police “he was intoxicated and unsure of the exact location of the incident,” Chicago police said in a release.
The teen took himself to Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he was listed in good condition.
No one was in custody for the shooting as of Tuesday morning, but police said the incident remained under investigation.
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"Student Affairs staff members have been providing support to the student and his family, and we ask that you keep him in your thoughts as he continues his recovery," DePaul said in a statement. "Though this incident did not occur on campus, we are taking it very seriously and recognize the concern that it may raise for anyone who lives, studies or works on the Lincoln Park Campus."
The attempted robbery follows a series of similar incidents involving DePaul University students so far this year.
At least three other armed robberies have been reported since Jan. 18.
According to the school’s public safety alerts, the most recent incident happened on March 1, when a student was robbed in the 2200 block of North Halsted. The alert states a student was walking around 3 p.m. when two men approached and demanded his cell phone.
In light of Tuesday's shooting, the university said safety officers will be on heightened alert during their campus patrols. The school also offered safety resources and tips for students.
