EAST STROUDSBURG -- Police in the Poconos said an East Stroudsburg University student was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night.
Police believe four men followed the victim off of campus while he walked to his car.
Students at East Stroudsburg University are on alert after getting a warning from police that a student was reportedly robbed at gunpoint.
“That's absolutely the scariest part because you can always carry a pocket knife to try and protect yourself, but once there's a gun involved, there's no, there's no,” said sophomore Zac Cappella.
“The email just said if we're traveling alone to call public safety. They gave us a number,” said junior Myniqua Knight. “You know to travel in groups, and we're not by ourselves pretty much.”
Stroud Area Regional Police said the victim first noticed he was being followed by four males at the administration building around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Police said the males asked to use his cell phone but the student lied, saying he didn't have one. However when the males continued to follow the victim off-campus to Fairview Street as he walked to his car the victim got suspicious and used his cell phone to call 911.
“They followed him, asked him if he had a cell phone. He said 'I don't have a cell phone,' they pulled a fire arm on him and took his backpack,” said Cappella. “It absolutely scares me.”
Police said the student left his backpack and ran and got help from a passing driver.
Investigators said there was a similar type of robbery last month, involving a student on campus and they are looking to see if the crimes are connected.
Police are urging students to walk together in well-lit areas.
“That's why, my mom and all my friends they don't let me go anywhere alone, so I'm always with someone,” said Knight.
“Plus like we don't get out of class until late so if we have to run any errands, so going out when it's dark it's like dangerous,” said senior Sara Eliason.
Police believe the suspects took the victim’s backpack with them but the victim was uninjured.
Anyone with information is asked to call Stroud Area Regional Police at (570) 421-6800.