A female University of Massachusetts student was robbed early Sunday morning while walking down North Pleasant Street.

According to an email sent to UMass students yesterday, the student was walking alone along North Pleasant Street when her purse was grabbed from behind. The woman struggled with the assailant before he escaped with the victim’s purse.

The victim identified the attacker as a black male wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head, blue jeans and a red bandana over his face. After obtaining the purse, the assailant ran to the passenger side of a dark colored SUV parked in front of Skinner Hall and left the scene.

The victim was not injured and was not taken to the hospital following the incident.

Amherst police were the first to respond to the scene. They proceeded to call UMass police who sent a safety alert to the campus community soon after. Both Amherst and UMass police, due to the route that it takes through both the University and the town patrol North Pleasant Street, collaborated on the response.

UMPD is currently investigating the incident. Anyone with information regarding the robbery should contact UMPD at 413-545-2121. Tips can also be called in anonymously at 413-577-TIPS.

In Sunday morning’s email, UMPD chief John Horvath advised residents to use caution when walking alone.

“There’s a whole set of suggestions for student safety on the UMPD site,” said UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski, adding, “If people want an escort (from UMPD), they can ask for one.”

“That in no way means this victim or any prior victims are at fault,” he said. He explained that the student was a victim of a crime and there was “no sense that this woman did anything wrong.”

Blaguszewski added, “People are victims of a crime … the perpetrator is the one at fault.”

Patrick Hoff can be reached at [email protected].