Five St. Thomas students were victims of an armed robbery involving a firearm at around 2:56 a.m. Saturday on Cretin Avenue between Selby and Dayton avenues, approximately one block from the university’s St. Paul campus, according to an email from St. Thomas Public Safety Saturday morning.

According to the email, the students were walking westbound on Selby Avenue from Finn Street when they noticed a male in a black ski mask following them on foot. As the students later approached the alleyway between Selby and Dayton avenues, a vehicle pulled up next to them with very bright lights. Three suspects, all wearing black ski masks, got out of the vehicle.

St. Paul police spokesperson Mike Ernster said that two of the suspects “pulled guns on the victims and demanded their bags.” The suspects robbed the victims of cash and a backpack, according to Ernster.

“One of the suspects fired a single gunshot into the air, and all suspects got back into the vehicle and drove northbound on Cretin,” the Public Safety email said.

The students then went to a nearby house and were assisted with reporting the incident to the St. Paul Police Department, according to the email. Public Safety said they became aware of the incident at approximately 8:29 a.m. Saturday.

Public Safety said that through video investigation, a second vehicle with its lights off appeared to be involved in the incident. The two vehicles appeared to be a Ford truck and a small dark colored sport utility vehicle.

No further information or suspect descriptions are known at this time.

Those with any information about the incident are urged to contact Public Safety or the St. Paul Police Department.

Joey Swanson can be reached at swan5350@sthomas.edu.
Justin Amaker contributed to this report.