Man assaulted with gun near Hill dormitory

University Police arrested a West Philadelphia man Monday, moments after he threatened a local man with a gun and hit him three times with it near the Hill House dormitory at 34th and Walnut streets. Police spokesperson Sylvia Canada said the assailant struck the man with the gun in an apparent robbery attempt. The victim, a 29-year-old local man, was not seriously injured in the incident. The man reported the crime immediately to University Police, who tracked the assailant and arrested him four blocks away. Shortly after, the victim identified the suspect as Stacey Foster, 23, of 514 N. 39th St. Foster is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on charges on aggravated assault. Canada said Foster and the victim were both walking west on Walnut Street toward 34th Street at about 9:50 p.m. when Foster slowed to let the man pass him. Canada said Foster pulled a semi-automatic handgun out and told the man to hand over his money. When the victim did not respond immediately, Foster struck him three times with the butt of the gun and then fled west on 34th Street, Canada said. After the victim notified police, dispatchers notified officers patrolling the area. University police first tried to stop Foster on the 3700 block of Walnut Street but he fled. Police caught him minutes later in the 7-11 convenience store on 38th and Sansom streets, where he had crouched in the aisle to avoid being spotted. Canada said although it appears the assailant intended to rob the victim, nothing was taken. The apparent attempted robbery comes almost a year to the day after an armed assailant robbed a University student and her boyfriend of a Toyota Celica in front of Hill House. According to witnesses, the assailant fired a gunshot into the are during the incident. University Police recommend that students immediately report any crimes, including specific details as possible. If police have descriptions of suspects, they will be able to catch them before they escape, police say.

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