Chief Besong confident in PointAlert effectiveness after pistol whipping

Written By Hayley Keys, Co-News Editor

On Sunday Nov. 3 at 3:21 p.m. the Point Park Police Department notified students of dangerous activity near the university.

According to an email sent out by campus police, the incident took place on Third Avenue at Cherry Way around 1:45 p.m. Sunday.

A man allegedly pistol-whipped a woman during an armed robbery and then ran toward the Allegheny County Courthouse.

The suspect was described as a black man approximately 25 years of age, with short hair and a thin build. He was wearing a black coat and a multi-colored backpack.

No Point Park students were involved, but campus police are asking for students to keep a watch out for their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity.

Jeffrey Besong, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Police, said the Pittsburgh Police are working to get more information.

Besong also said he felt his team did a good job notifying students of the event, and he feels confident in the effectiveness of PointAlert.

“There have only been 44 people who have opted-out from Point Alert,” Besong said.

Emari Stevens, a sophomore creative writing major, mentioned that he saw campus police outside after he read about the incident.

“I had to go over to my friend’s dorm to do homework and there weren’t any police outside,” Stevens said. “When I came back there were like seven campus police standing on the corner…so I felt pretty safe. I also wasn’t super worried because, in the email, they called it an “attempted robbery” so it didn’t feel that dangerous.”

Stevens also said that he thought the Point Alert was sent out in a timely manner.

“I don’t really know the timeline, but I know I was at home when the notification was sent out,” Stevens said. “The PointAlert was sent out pretty quickly.”