What started as a simple walk home last night turned into a nightmare for one unfortunate N.C. State student.
Robbed of his belongings and stabbed in the hand, the student, whose name has been omitted due to safety concerns, said he considers himself lucky despite his situation.
“I was walking back from the fraternity house and I was on the phone with my girlfriend,” the student said. “When I was walking up the sidewalk next to Handy Hugo’s on the side of Dan Allen I remember seeing an SUV that was coming down the wrong side of the road [towards] me, and I remember telling my girlfriend I just thought it was a drunk driver. [But] then the SUV came up on the curve.”
The student said two men then commenced to jump out of the vehicle and demand his belongings.
“Two guys got out, one wearing a blue shirt and the other wearing a white shirt with some sort of graphics on it. The guy in the blue shirt kept telling me he wanted my wallet, he wanted everything I had,” the student said. “I told him I didn’t have my wallet with me, so then he kept asking for my book bag…I didn’t really have anything in my book bag but I kept telling him ‘No.'”
At first, the student said he could not tell one of the men was armed because the area was dark and he could not see them well. However, once the weapon was pulled out, he said he tried to avoid being hurt.
“I used my right hand to try to block it…instead of that … one of the other guys hit me in the face and I got knocked out. I think at that point I was stabbed in the hand and all I remember after that was waking up and freaking out,” the student said.
After this traumatic experience, the student said he was unable to use his phone and had a hard time understanding what happened.
“I tried to turn my phone on and it wasn’t working. I had no idea what to do…there was blood all over my shirt,” the student said. “I just remember thinking, ‘there’s no way this just happened.'”
After he became reoriented with his surroundings, the victimized student said he made his way back to the residence hall and called two friends for help.
“[I] met them behind Carmichael Gym to get picked up. Then we called the [campus] police, met them in Lee Lot and EMS took me to Rex Hospital,” the student said.
While hospitalized for the night, the student received a CAT scan as well as X-rays. After having his hand bandaged, medical professional decided the student sustained a minor concussion.
“They said I did have a concussion, [but] they said there was no major damage … I have to go see an orthopedic doctor to see if the damage to the nerves and tendons [in my hand] are permanent,” the student said. “[I do not have permanent damage] that I know of right now.”
The victimized student spoke with the Raleigh Police Department and filed a report regarding the event because the incident occurred within RPD’s jurisdiction.
“It’s in the Raleigh Police Department’s hands now,” the student said. “They said all they can really do now is see if they can find the car that I described.”
Jim Sughrue, director of public affairs at the Raleigh Police Department said this incident involved more than one agency.
“Initially, N.C. State police responded,” Sughrue said. “However, RPD was contacted when it was determined that the incident had occurred off campus.”
The student said he feels fortunate his situation had not escalated any further.
“The police officer and EMS said I’m definitely lucky because normally this isn’t how it plays out,” the student said.
Director of Greek Life, John Mountz, wants students to know that although the student’s experience was in proximity to Greek Village, the area surrounding campus has not been tagged as unsafe.
“If Campus Police indicated that we had a safety concern in Greek Village then we would work with all of our students that live there … [but] they’ve not indicated there’s any kind of safety concern … so we’ve not taken any action at this point.”
While this incident was both unfortunate and dangerous, the student said he believes N.C. State is a safe campus.
“I like NC State, and I don’t think people should look at incidents like this and hold it against the university or campus police,” the student said. “I think the university does a great job by having the emergency blue light system. It’s just an unfortunate event, [where I was] in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Sughrue also encouraged anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact Raleigh CrimeStoppers.
“The case has been assigned for follow-up investigation. At this point no suspects have been arrested,” Sughrue said. “Anyone with information that might assist the investigation should contact Raleigh CrimeStoppers at (919) 834-HELP.”
