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Campus Alert Archive
Howard

Three Masked Men Exit a Tan Honda and Rob a Howard Student at Gunpoint Outside Banneker Center Before Dawn

DCrobberytimely warningmedium confidence
Under Investigation

At approximately 5:08-5:15 a.m. EST on January 27, 2025, a Howard University student was robbed at gunpoint outside the Banneker Community Center, a city-owned recreation facility adjacent to Howard's campus. Three masked suspects exited a tan Honda SUV, held the victim at gunpoint, and stole approximately $760 worth of possessions including an iPhone, wallet, bookbag, and tennis equipment. The Howard Department of Public Safety issued a crime alert at 6:28 a.m. EST, the fourth crime near Howard's campus in three weeks.

Alerts
1
Response
75 min
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Howard University
Hbcu · DC
~12,000 studentsHU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction641 chars
CRIME ALERT - Armed Robbery: On January 27, 2025, between 5:08 a.m. and 5:15 a.m., an Armed Robbery occurred near the Banneker Community Center, 2500 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The victim, a Howard University community member, reported that three suspects exited out of a tan color Honda SUV and approached him. The victim was then held at gunpoint and all of his possessions were demanded. One of the suspects demanded the victim's phone information, which he refused to give up. The suspects fled the scene. The lookout is for three suspects who are between 5 feet, 8 inches and 5 feet, 9 inches tall, who all wore black ski masks.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

DPS issued the crime alert at 6:28 a.m. EST on January 27, 2025, roughly 73-80 minutes after the robbery occurred between 5:08-5:15 a.m.
The Banneker Community Center at 2500 Georgia Avenue NW is a DC Department of Parks and Recreation facility immediately adjacent to Howard's campus -- technically off-campus but within Howard's Clery Act geographic area
Approximately $760 in items were stolen; tennis rackets and tennis shoes were later recovered near the scene, suggesting the suspects dropped some items while fleeing
Context

Background

The January 27, 2025 robbery was the fourth crime reported near Howard's campus in three weeks, following a nine-suspect armed robbery outside College Hall North on January 16, a shooting alert on January 17, and multiple other alerts in early January. The pattern of crimes occurring in the pre-dawn hours near Howard's campus, with off-campus attackers using vehicles to approach and flee, prompted student criticism of campus security. The Howard Department of Public Safety issues Clery Act timely warnings for on- and near-campus crimes presenting a continuing threat. The Banneker Recreation Center sits at the northern edge of Howard's campus footprint on Georgia Avenue NW, a high-traffic corridor that has been the location of multiple prior crime alerts. The incident coincided with the first week of the spring 2025 semester, when campus populations peak following the holiday break.
Analysis

Key Findings

One of four crimes near Howard's campus in three weeks at the start of spring 2025 semester
Pre-dawn robbery with vehicle-assisted suspect approach and escape, a recurring pattern in Howard-area crime alerts
Victim refused to surrender phone PIN under duress -- some stolen property recovered near scene
DPS crime alert issued 73-80 minutes after the robbery, a reasonable response window for a non-injury incident
Outcome
No arrests reported. Some stolen items including tennis rackets and shoes were recovered near the scene. The victim's phone was not compromised as he refused to give up the PIN when demanded.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
  2. Student Paper
  3. News
  4. Official
Tags
robberyarmed-robberyhbcuwashington-dcgeorgia-avenuebanneker-centerpre-dawntimely-warningspring-semester-2025Under Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion