Police seek 3 suspects in pair of armed robberies that left 2 IUP students injured

Authorities are seeking three masked men in connection with a pair of armed robberies Friday evening in Indiana that left two Indiana University of Pennsylvania students who lived in off-campus housing injured.

One was shot in the neck.

Indiana Police said they were responding to the reports of a armed robbery on the 800 block of Wayne Avenue, when a second call came in of a gunshot in the area shortly before 8 p.m. When they responded to the second call, police found two injured students. Both were taken for medical treatment.

Borough police said their investigation determined that three masked intruders, at least one of whom displayed a weapon, entered residences in the 800 block of Wayne Avenue and made demands of the residents.

Police said items were taken from one residence and an altercation occurred at the second home that culminated in a male student being shot.

The intruders were described as three men dressed in black clothing and wearing ski masks.

They remained at large Saturday afternoon.

“It is reiterated that the preliminary investigation indicates this was not a random incident, and police do not believe there is any current risk to community safety,” borough police said in a press release Saturday afternoon.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania spokeswoman Michelle Fryling confirmed that the injured individuals were IUP students. Citing student privacy concerns, Fryling declined to identify the students or provide additional information.

In an email to students, IUP Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas C. Segar said the university is working with the families of the injured students to provide support. He said mental health counseling is available for other students in need of help.

Segar encouraged anyone with information about Friday night’s incident to call the university’s tip line at 724-357-2255 or to take advantage of its anonymous online reporting service.

Update: suspects still at large, avoid Wayne Avenue area, remain indoors in a secure location. pic.twitter.com/PPYuIwc5fz

— Indiana University of Pennsylvania (@IUPedu) February 15, 2020

Deb Erdley, Megan Tomasic and Michael DiVittorio are Tribune-Review staff writers. You can contact Deb at 724-850-1209, derdley@tribweb.com or via Twitter @deberdley_trib. You can contact Megan at 724-850-1203 or mtomasic@tribweb.com. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MikeJdiVittorio.