Maayuk Eta, Contributor

Times are tough, and students are on high alert. If you are not aware, there have been some terrible things happening around campus that we need to highlight and pay attention to. On Aug. 17, DPS received a report that at 3:10 p.m. about a robbery at gunpoint that occurred on 21st Ave S in front of the Hagfors Center. The victim, who is not affiliated with Augsburg, had their backpack, purse and cell phone taken. Additionally, almost all of the bicycles that our library lends out were stolen. Furthermore, there was a body found behind Hard Times Café, just a block away from our campus.

It is important for us to acknowledge our environment and take a moment to decide if we’re going to fall victim to issues or if we’re going to prepare for them. This subject touched me deeply because I had recently taken a trip to South Africa, and while I was there a group of armed robbers pulled up with guns and knives in front of my mom and me in broad daylight right outside of my uncle’s house, telling us to give them our money and phones. We willingly gave our things, and they got in the car and sped away. That was the scariest moment of my life; we think we know how to react to certain situations, but when a gun is pointed at your head, you lose all your senses. Luckily, I didn’t hesitate and just handed everything to them.

Students must be careful — especially those who have night classes; that’s the perfect time for attacks because you are more vulnerable. If that is you, make sure you’re parked close to your class in a well-lit spot. Never take shortcuts to where you parked and, if you can, always use a buddy system. If you couldn’t park close, don’t hesitate to call the Augsburg Department of Public Safety, which is our very own 24-hour public safety assistance of officers willing to drive you to your car.

For extra precaution, carry around protection like pepper spray. If you would like to go the extra mile, self-defense classes are not a bad option. If you’re worried that you can’t afford it, then I have you covered. Krav Maga in Minneapolis has created self-defense classes for people of all levels of fitness. They’ve received amazing reviews and are now offering free classes if you sign up from their website.

All in all, with everything going on, I think it’s very important that we take this information seriously for our own safety and share it with others. We never think it’ll happen to us until it does, and it is important for everyone to be prepared. 

This article first appeared in the Friday, September 28 edition of The Echo.

One of the DPS vehicles that can be found patrolling campus. Photo by Jocelyn Sager.