Male student robbed in alley, police say

COLUMBIA — A 20-year-old male student suffered cuts and bruises to his face when two young men robbed him Saturday, according to a news release from the Columbia Police Department.

According to the release, the student was walking in an alley east of the 100 block of Ninth Street when the young men approached him from behind at 11:10 p.m. and pushed his head into a wall. He was struck several times before the suspects took his wallet, according to the release.

The two young men, along with three other young males who witnesses say did not physically participate in the robbery, fled after a witness started yelling, according to the release.

At 11:45 p.m., an officer stopped two males near College Avenue and Rogers Street but was unable to stop three other males walking with them, according to the release. Witnesses said the two males who were detained had been at the scene of the robbery, although as of Sunday they were identified as two of the three males that did not physically participate in the crime, according to the release.

The student was taken to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

The Juvenile Detective Unit is investigating this case.

Anyone with information is asked to submit it to the CrimeStoppers Web site.