Ginger Ambler's message regarding campus safety
Dear Students,
I wanted to alert the student community to an incident that occurred on campus over the weekend. On Friday evening, shortly after 9:00 p.m., a female student was robbed while walking in the area of Yates Drive and Gooch Drive. The student was approached by a group of six men, one of whom stole her purse. According to the police report, the suspects are described as follows: six black males with black hoodies around their heads, black sweatpants, and likely in their early 20's. No weapons were involved and, thankfully, the student was unharmed. The W&M Police responded immediately and searched the area for the suspects who had fled. The W&M Police investigation continues, so we encourage anyone with further information to contact them at 757-221-4596.
We think of our community as such a safe place. Relatively speaking, it is. What happened over the weekend is an unfortunate reminder, however, that even in a community as special as Williamsburg crimes can and do occur. There may be nothing we can do to fully insulate ourselves from the reality of crime in our world. At the same time, this is a good time to remember that there are measures we can and should take to increase our level of personal safety. When venturing out after dark, it is helpful to travel with friends or call ESCORT (x13293) for a safe walk/ride. And, as the student in this case did, call the police immediately if something happens to you or if you see suspicious activity -- on campus or off, use 911.
I know you share my sense of gratitude that our student is unharmed. Let us all continue to watch out for one another.
Ginger Ambler
