Students and employees at KU Medical Center were put on alert Wednesday and Thursday after an employee said he was assaulted and robbed in the middle of the day, blocks away from campus.
Students and employees received a text and email late Wednesday night outlining the event.
Wednesday’s incident isn’t the first time a robbery has happened blocks from campus.
“It’s very challenging. [Campus is] all spread out and we’re dealing with people from the top to the bottom,” said Sgt. Darlene Santiago Dotson, the Community Crime Prevention Officer for KU Med Center Police Department.
In June, police said two women — a medical student and an employee — were robbed at gunpoint as they were getting out of their cars.
While police responded to the scene at 39th and Springfield, another call came in. At the time, investigators said another person was held up with a box cutter in the designated smoking area next to the hospital’s garage.
"The same crime you see everywhere else, you’ll see here. We’re in a limited environment but yes any crime can happen at any time. It doesn’t matter where you are,” said Dotson.
According to a spokeswoman, KU Medical Center has about 4,000 employees and 3,400 students — not including hospital staff and guests. Because of these numbers, almost all students and faculty members have to park in lots blocks away from campus.
41 Action News followed Dotson around campus to learn about the safety features in these parking lots available to students and employees.
"We have blue phones in every lot. You pick them up and that’s a 911 call. Those 911 calls are treated like any other 911 calls, a police officer has to respond regardless,” said Dotson. "We have shuttle service during the day and then we have escort service by our security at night.”
41 Action News looked at the daily crime statistics for the medical center. This year, so far, 12 crimes have occurred in the off-campus parking lots, which are still considered the medical center’s property.
Breakdown of crimes in open parking lots for 2016:
Theft - 4 cases
Criminal Damage - 6 cases
Aggravated Robbery - 1 case
Burglary - 1 case
"Don’t be looking at your phone when you’re walking and looking down and texting. Walk with purpose and confidence and don’t be talking on the phone and being distracted in that way, shape or form,” said Dotson.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
