Student fights off assailant

A University student fought off a man who attempted to rob him early yesterday morning near the corner of 37th and Walnut streets, University Police said yesterday. College of General Studies junior Lance Dunlop, an ex-paratrooper from Israel, said he held his would-be mugger until police arrived. "The funny thing is, I was talking to my friends that night before it happened telling them never to fight back against muggers," Dunlop said last night. "I said I would be the first to hand over my wallet but it was just instinctive to fight back. You could say it was classical conditioning." Dunlop said he was walking on 37th Street when a man flashed an object from beneath his jacket and demanded his wallet. He added that the object did not look like a gun, so Dunlop grabbed it, knocking the man to the ground. "I was lucky it wasn't a pistol," Dunlop said. "[But] after years of working with that sort of thing, it just didn't look like [one]." Dunlop added that while he was struggling with the robber, the man took Dunlop's wallet from his pocket and began to run away. "He was on the stairs between Stiteler Hall and the Education Building," Dunlop said. "I pounced on him and threw him to the base of the stairs. I knew that if I fought him on the stairs no one would see us. I wanted to be [visible] from the street." Dunlop said a Physical Plant worker, walked by with a radio. The mugger then jumped up a second time and headed for the stairs. "[The Physical Plant worker] came over to me," Dunlop said. "He didn't do anything -- just watched." Dunlop said that he tackled the man for the third time, but held him there on the stairs. "I struggled with him on the stairs," Dunlop said. "I didn't see the need to throw him down again. We were making a lot of noise and I thought the police would come soon." Dunlop said a police car arrived a few moments later, followed by another. Officers then arrested the man. "Penn Police did a really good job," Dunlop said. "They were really nice. I'm very happy with them." University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes said last night that police took the suspect to Southwest Detectives yesterday. Dunlop added that he will testify against the robber in court a week from now. He said that Victim Support and Special Services will give him a ride to the courthouse. "Victim Support was really great," Dunlop said. "They called [the next morning] and told me they would take me to court and give me a free lunch." Dunlop added that police said they were excited about apprehending the man, who was wanted in connection with other cases, including another mugging incident. Dunlop said that the robber had been taken to court before, but that the District Attorney released him due to a lack of hard evidence. "Police said they could not ask for a better witness, since I was actually holding [the man] for ten minutes," Dunlop said. Dunlop said his experience with the robber made him realize how close he could have been to death. "It was really weird," Dunlop said. "But when you struggle with someone like that, afterwards you realize how important life is." Dunlop said he was not really hurt during the struggle, although he did receive a black eye. "Everyone's been asking me about it," Dunlop said. "It's hard to explain. I tell them it's a long story."