A University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student was attacked and robbed about 11 p.m. Tuesday night while walking down the street past campus alone, police said.

The student was jumped from behind, kicked repeatedly and robbed of his iPod, cell phone and backpack, which contained all of his personal identification. Police said the three suspects then jumped into their Dodge Intrepid and drove off.

Just a few blocks down on the 2900 block of Murray Avenue, another similar robbery occurred just minutes before, police reported. They said the incidents are likely related.

In that incident another male student was walking down the street and approached from behind. According to police he was kicked and punched around the face, and suspects ran away with his backpack.

Unsuspecting of the incident that just occurred moments before, the victim of the second robbery, 20, was walking the short distance between his and his girlfriend’s house when his walk was unexpectedly halted in front of the Kunkle Center, the child care center on Kenwood Boulevard.

He said he initially thought it was just his friends playing a trick on him when they grabbed him from behind.

“I got kicked in the face and realized it wasn’t a friend of mine,” said the victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

After he repeatedly denied having any money on him, they pulled his iPod out of his pocket and ears and his back pack over his head. Then they continued kicking him, concentrating on the face, the victim said.

Finally they took his wallet out of his pocket. Two of the suspects continued kicking and punching him while the third yelled for them to hurry.

The three suspects then jumped into the Intrepid, which the victim described as either gray or light tan, and drove off.

One suspect was broadly built with an afro haircut and another was broadly built with short dark hair, the victim said. The third was slender and had shorter hair.

The victim said he was uncertain if there was a third person driving the get-away car.

The victim was left with a torn ligament in his neck, swollen eyes and multiple bruises.

With classes back in session, police warned students to be cautious at all times.

“If you are going to go out, go out in a group,” said Detective Sgt. Art Koch.

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