An attempted armed robbery took place this morning in the Illini Grove area, which University Police feel is linked to the series of similar crimes throughout the campus community.

According to Lt. Roy Acree with the University Police, the victim was walking by himself near Illini Grove, the wooded area south of McKinley Health Center, at 4:19 a.m. and was confronted by the two suspects at the corner of Lincoln and Michigan avenues. Acree said that the suspects were armed with knives and no words were exchanged between them and the victim.

The victim, who holds a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, kicked one of the suspects in the chest, causing him to flee the scene. The other suspect then struck the victim with a knife, cutting his little finger. The victim struck the second suspect in the mouth and nose and chased him to the west side of Illini Grove. The victim, unable to catch the suspect, had his finger treated at Carle Hospital, 611 W. Park St.

While the victim was able to defend himself when confronted with the suspects, University Police said that students should not do so.

“The victim in this case was able to fight back, but we’re not encouraging that at all,” Acree said. “We tell the victim to just go along with what the suspects want.”

Given that this is the seventh armed robbery to hit the area, police encourage students and members of the community to take caution.

“Students need to realize that they need to start paying attention to their surrounding,” Acree said. “They should stay in well lit areas, not walk alone, and take advantages of the bus services and taxis.”