An NIU student was victim to an attempted robbery while walking home from the library early Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Eco Park Drive.

The victim was walking alone when a man standing beside a nearby building called him over. The victim stopped and the man approached and asked if he had any drugs and what was in his backpack. The suspect continued pestering the victim and grabbed the victim’s jacket when he tried to walk away.

The suspect hit the victim in the back of the head with his fist as the victim tried to walk away again.

The victim’s glasses were knocked off, but he was not seriously injured. He then left the scene while the suspect shouted at him.

The suspect is a black male 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with a thin, muscular build.

The victim did not report the incident until later the next day.

“I thought he was drunk but when I read [about] the robberies in the paper, I felt very concerned and thought I should say something,” said the victim, who wished to remain anonymous.

This is the third report of a robbery within a mile of campus within the last six days.

DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen said it is hard to tell whether or not Tuesday’s incident is related to this weekend’s robberies in the 800 block of Annie Glidden Road and the 1000 block of West Hillcrest Drive.

No arrests have been made, and there is no new information available concerning this weekend’s robberies, Feithen said.

“We’re actively working on the case,” Feithen said. “We are far from dead in the water.”

For the mean time, police urge students and residents to use caution while walking late at night, Feithen said.