A man robbed two women at gunpoint on campus early June 1, after approaching the women and asking them to hand over their purses, said Dolores Stafford, director of University Police.

The man also asked to search the women’s pockets, one of the women said. The victim said she turned hers inside out, while the perpetrator tapped the other victim’s pockets. One victim gave him her purse while the other gave him the money in her purse, she said.

“(My roommate) asked if she could hold on to her purse because all she had in it was her keys and gave him the cash,” the victim said. “So I said, `can I have my keys back too?'”

She said the robber gave her the whole purse back and she gave him the money out of her wallet, about $13, the victim said.

“Initially I was scared, that’s why I reacted by giving him my purse without even thinking of putting up a fight,” she said. “But he seemed very calm and unaggressive after my roommate talked to him. That’s why I felt I could safely ask for my keys back.”

The man fled north on 23rd Street, Stafford said. The crime occurred at 1:10 a.m. at 728 23rd St. The women immediately called UPD, who then contacted Metropolitan Police. Both police departments searched the area but did not find the man.

The robber is described as a black male, 20 to 26 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds. He had a thin mustache and was wearing blue jeans and a dark Yankees shirt with the name “Jeter” on the back. Stafford said UPD is working with MPD but has no leads.

“I think that you’re really exposed late night,” said the victim, who is staying at GW for the summer. “It’s a well-lit area, but there’s nothing around. I would never walk around late at night unless it’s with a really big group of people.”

UPD has issued “crime alert” flyers around campus, as required by law for serious crimes, which are crimes that put an individual in danger, Stafford said.

The flyers also offered a crime prevention statement for students to use caution in the area.

-Katie Warchut