Brandon student robbed, seriously hurt near university campus

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This article was published 24/11/2024 (341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brandon University student has suffered serious injuries after what is believed to be a random attack and robbery near the downtown campus on Saturday night.

David Docherty, president and vice-chancellor, alerted community members Sunday afternoon about an incident that took place around 10:30 p.m. one night earlier.

“This is upsetting news to all of us, and understandably it may spark worries or even fear,” Docherty wrote in a mass email to staff and students. “There are supports on campus for you.”

A female student was en route to visit friends living in residence when she was attacked, robbed and seriously injured late Saturday, he said, adding other students were the first on the scene and did “exactly the right thing” by contacting 911.

The victim has since received medical care and is recovering. University staff are liasing with all students involved to provide support where necessary, the president said.

Docherty noted local police are investigating, but the crime is suspected to be random and perpetrated by multiple strangers.

He noted the university’s critical incident team, which includes himself and other senior administrators, has been “activated” and will continue to meet this week.

“While this type of event near campus is rare, our location as an urban institution makes a crime like this an unfortunate possibility. We will continue to engage with police, city, and provincial authorities on a wider strategic response,” the university leader said.

Following panic prompted by since-debunked reports of a machete-wielding man at the University of Manitoba on Tuesday, BU administration alerted students and employees that it was doubling security personnel ahead of this week. Winnipeg police investigated but could not substantiate reports of a man with a knife on the U of M campus last week.

Brandon University’s announcement was met with mixed reactions, given the faculty association has been calling for a safety and security audit for more than a year.

BU is finalizing a request for proposals for a third-party probe that will be issued “very shortly,” Docherty said in a statement to the Free Press on Thursday.

In his latest memo issued over the weekend, Docherty told community members the university asked for additional police patrols around the campus.

The Brandon Police Service’s Sunday update, which detailed a number of events that occurred within the preceding 24 hours, did not describe any attacks near BU.

The police service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

BU students can request a security guard escort on campus via the university’s 24-hour Safe Walk program by calling 204-727-9700.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca