CPD says student stabbing report unfounded

By Molly Walsh and Katherine Savage

Ignacio Calderon

3/7 10:43 a.m.

A 23-year-old female Columbia student was stabbed and robbed March 6 at 9:50 p.m. in Grant Park, according to a Crime Advisory from Campus Safety and Security.

The victim told police she was walking in the park when a man—whom she identified as black, 25–30 years old, 6 feet tall and wearing a green puffy jacket with blue jeans—”approached her from behind, pulled her hair, and demanded money,” according to Columbia’s Crime Advisory. Having none, she reported giving him her debit card. The man stabbed her in the abdomen three times and fled.

The unnamed woman walked to a 7-Eleven by the University Center, 535 S. State St., where someone called 911, according to Chicago police.

She was then taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition and treated for non-life-threatening wounds.

According to News Office Senior Director Lambrini Lukidis, the College does not know if the attack or the assailant was caught on any Columbia-owned cameras. However, if anything was captured, all evidence will be turned over to the Chicago Police Department, she said.

The CPD Office of News Affairs said detectives are investigating.

Columbia sent multiple alerts of the incident to students throughout the night and into the morning hours.

3/7 5:31 p.m.

Campus Safety and Security and the Chicago Police Department said the incident involving a Columbia student allegedly stabbed in Grant Park is unsubstantiated based on video evidence that was obtained.

“Following up on the Crime Alert issued early this morning regarding the alleged 3/6/19 attack on a Columbia College Chicago student – late this afternoon, Chicago Police News Affairs issued a tweet saying, ‘Case Update: Based on a review of video evidence, this incident is now determined to be unfounded and it did not occur as it was reported,'” according to a March 7 email statement from Campus Security.

3/7 6:07 p.m.

Chicago Police Department spokesperson Howard Ludwig said the unidentified student, 23, made false reports to CPD about the alleged stabbing and robbery.

“All we know is that the story that she told us is not true,” Ludwig said.

Campus Safety and Security previously emailed a statement early Thursday morning saying the student was transported to Northwestern Hospital where she spoke with her mother. Safety and Security and Student Affairs personnel were with her at the hospital, according to the March 7 Crime Advisory.

“Where we go from here, it’s kind of up to area detectives,” Ludwig said. “Do we charge her for filing a false police report? It’s always a possibility in this sort of case.”

Ludwig said the student had three stab wounds to the lower abdomen. Investigators are still looking into the incident and the student’s reports, he added.

Correction 3/8/19 at 9:38 a.m.: A previous version of this article stated the wrong 7-Eleven address the student went to. The Chronicle regrets this error.