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Posted on Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 9:51 a.m.

Man with stungun flees U-M hospital after assaulting cafeteria worker, police say

By Nathan Bomey

A man pulled out a stungun and proceeded to assault a worker at a University of Michigan hospital building Friday night before fleeing the scene, police said.

The man reportedly assaulted a cafeteria manager and then ran out the south entrance of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital around 6:40 p.m. He was still at large three hours later.

Police described the incident as an attempted armed robbery. A U-M spokeswoman said it was not clear whether the stungun was used during the assault. The victim, a man, was treated at the hospital and released.

U-M police officials said the suspect is a black male in his late 20s, about 5-foot-8 with hair in cornrows or dreadlocks. He was wearing a white T-shirt, black plants and a ski mask.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the U-M Department of Public Safety at (734) 763-1131 or dial 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.

Comments

Buckeye2

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.

Must have been easy to spot wearing "black plants" unless that is usual dress around the U of M in summer...just saying...

trespass

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 11:53 a.m.

It is interesting that the UM police are the only local law enforcement who do not have Tasers. If they confronted this guy would they have shot him because he was armed? Is that because they don't believe that less lethal force is necessary or do we just have such a polite and cooperative population that a Taser is not necessary?

perfectly lubricated weather vane

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.

Thank you for saying "less lethal" rather than "non-lethal".

YpsilantiResident

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 8:59 a.m.

I don't get how it was "unclear" as to whether or not someone was shocked with a stun gun?? Lol

perfectly lubricated weather vane

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 6:52 p.m.

This story makes me curious how the UM Department of Public Safety officers determined that the brandished weapon was a "stungun" or stun gun. Was the assailant yelling, "I have a stun gun!"? Were the witnesses familiar enough with appearance of various forms of electroshock weapons to reliably identify the weapon? I hope we will read more details provided by UM DPS soon.

huh7891

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 5:47 p.m.

Keep in mind that this is U M not A2...Per the mayor they have 68 sworn officers ( of which probably 2/3 on duty per shift) and yes he is " comfortable" about the crime and police staffing in A2. Welcome to the new wild ,wild west....easy pick ins for the criminal element!

xmo

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.

"U-M police officials said the suspect is a black male in his late 20s, about 5-foot-8 with hair in cornrows or dreadlocks" One out of four adult black males are in prison and not for income tax evasion! When is it going to end!

aes

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 5:16 p.m.

There was another B&E at the UMHS just a couple of days ago--an outside glass door was smashed and a number of laptops in an inner office stolen. I did not read a thing about this online. Glad the mayor is so "comfortable" now that the crime rate is so low.

Joe Kidd

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.

A couple years ago, I found out the legislature had a bill filed that would make sales and possession of a taser legal in Michigan. Big mistake I think. Frankly I would rather face a criminal with a pistol than a taser. As a former firearms instructor, I know that it is not easy to aim fire and hit a target and most people shot survive and most wounds do not incapacitate. Pistols make noise, tasers do not make as much. I guess my main concern is being confronted in my home by a suspect with a taser because I do not want to end up being tied up. I would prefer the option of fighting back or not based on the circumstances and I think a punk with a taser will be more likely to zap you than shoot you. That is a stupid place to try this. Cameras everywhere in the hospital. It will take a long time to look at all those recordings but once found on one recording it will be easy to track and backtrack a path.

5c0++ H4d13y

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.

Pretty stupid place to do a robbery considering there are phone everywhere to call security who are close by. Not to mention cameras in all major hallways.

A2transplant

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 6:49 p.m.

Not really....he did get away, didn't he? You're assuming that security would respond and that they're monitoring their cameras...

smokeblwr

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.

What part of the building did the assault occur? Did he walk right into a crowded cafeteria and do this or did he wait until he found an isolated victim near an exit? Maybe a metal detector and full cavity search for all hospital entrants? If the doctors did it then it might count as my annual prostate exam.....

Pilgrim

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.

I wonder if something needs to be done to heighten security at the University of Michigan Hospitals--any suggestions?

A2transplant

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 6:48 p.m.

Limit internet usage. Proactively approach people who are not wearing some kind of identification. All exits have security personnel posted nearby, so....I guess the last obvious suggestion I would have is to have them respond when someone is fleeing out the door.

John B.

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.

I see that the usual suspects have already chimed in, per their instructions.

Elaine F. Owsley

Sun, Jun 26, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.

What the heck does that mean?

godsbreath64

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.

Paid in full.

1bit

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.

With this and some of the other incidents recently, it almost sounds like a gang initiation thing...

SonnyDog09

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.

As long as hizzoner keeps telling us that crime is decreasing and that he is comfortable, there is nothing to be concerned about.

Ricebrnr

Sat, Jun 25, 2011 : 2:16 p.m.

but stun guns are currently illegal to own in MI. Must be those darn gun shows again....not