Man robbed at gunpoint in IMU

A Bloomington man was robbed at gunpoint by two men at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the sixth floor bathroom of the Indiana Memorial Union, according to the IU Police Department. \nThe victim, 28, reported one suspect was a black male approximately six feet tall with an average build and facial hair. He was unkempt and possibly wearing a black Starter jacket. \nThe second suspect was described as a white male, shorter than the first, with an average build and severe acne.\nIUPD is looking at a number of possibilities, said Lt. Jerry Minger.\n"It's still under investigation," Minger said. "There are a number of avenues and lots of people we'll interview. There may have been some unusual suspects or people hanging around that we need to talk to." \nIUPD will also look at video captured by cameras around the site of the robbery for any possible leads.\n"There are also places around campus that record these things," Minger said. "There may have been someone waiting around that could have been recorded. It's just one of those avenues that we check and if our inquiries are fruitful, we'll follow that lead to its natural end."\nThe victim said the robbers took all the contents of his wallet including money, credit cards and photographs. The perpetrators also took the victim's cell phone, but the phone was later found, and returned to him by the IMU staff.\nThe victim said the crime was especially troubling because he grew up in the Bloomington area.\n"(The robbery)'s distressing," the victim said. "I played in there as a kid, and I would've let my kids play up in there until yesterday. It's scary to think that something like that could happen."\nSophomore Ashley Crouse, vice president-internal for IU Dance Marathon, works on the fifth floor of the IMU. She attributed the robbery to the lack of people in the upper floors of the IMU during the weekend.\n"It's troubling because there aren't a lot of people here, especially on the weekends," Crouse said. \n"Therefore, it's left open. So if you're caught on the floor by yourself, a robbery at gunpoint is a loss."\nJon Smith, a Baptist Collegiate Minister, who also works on the fifth floor, said he will not change any of his work habits because of the event.\n"I don't really feel any different," he said. "Anomalies happen with break-ins and robberies, here and there, so I don't really feel troubled."\nCrouse said added security is a possibility, although there are financial and practical restraints. \n"I think (security) is a very difficult situation because they want to leave it open enough for students," she said. "But at the same time, it's difficult. Are they supposed to put in cameras? Or are they supposed to have security guards upstairs? The money and the personnel issues would be difficult."\nAnyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the IUPD Investigation Section at 855-4111. \n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.