Student beaten, robbed at CSUN amid string of crimes in, around campus

NORTHRIDGE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A student was beaten and robbed at Cal State Northridge Thursday, putting the campus on high alert amid a growing string of crimes in and around the university.

The incident happened on one of the campus parking lots shortly before 4 p.m. A student was returning to his car when he was approached by three men.

The victim handed over his cellphone. When one of the suspects asked for his wallet, he told them he did not have it on him, which resulted in the suspects hitting him multiple times in the face.

"They told him that they had a gun and that they wanted everything in his pockets," CSUN Police Department Capt. Alfredo Fernandez said. "It was very brazen. We're highly concerned."

Witnesses at the scene told the suspects they were calling the police, prompting the men to leave the area with one of them holding an unknown long object covered by a white towel.

Two of the suspects are described as thin men between the ages of 18-21. One of the men was last seen wearing a baseball cap, gray T-shirt and long blue pants. The other has short black hair. No description was provided for the third suspect.

They were seen driving off in an older model white four-door Nissan sedan with a partial license plate of 4NW430. They were last seen heading southbound on Etiwanda Avenue from the B6 parking lot.

Within the last two weeks, two students were robbed while meeting to sell their phones. Students said over the summer they received several email alerts of crimes on or around campus. In April, a female student was the victim of an attempted kidnapping near the dorms.

"It's crazy because you never really think this was going to happen, especially in the middle of the day," student Mandy Salazar said.

Police said the victim suffered cuts and bruises, but will be OK. They added he did the right thing by handing over his items rather than fight for it.