Wayne State Student Reports Scary Incident While Waiting for Uber Car

(Photo of Old Main, a historic building on the Wayne State campus, via Wikimedia/Creative Commons)

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Wayne State University remains on high alert after a female student said she narrowly escaped kidnapping while waiting for her Uber ride Monday night.

A 35-year-old international student said she was waiting at the corner of Cass and Putnam after ordering an Uber cab. When a van pulled up beside her, she opened the door, thinking that was her ride, WDIV-TV and WXYZ-TV are reporting.

She said one of the three men inside the van attempted to pull her inside, but she was able to wrestle free and call police. Wayne State Police Chief Anthony Holt said the woman was not injured, but was badly shaken up.

Wayne State student Katie Stevenson said the attempted abduction is an important safety reminder for students to be aware of their surroundings.

“I’ve been here at night and it’s very important just to make sure you’re safe, you’re with someone, keep your cell phone with you because you can’t be protected enough when you’re by yourself,” Stevenson said. “Always be aware of your surroundings.”

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Added another student, Haleigh Josephson: “Don’t be on your phone when you’re walking, stay alert, and I think that’s in any situation and not just in Detroit or at Wayne State.”

A “blue light” network of 100 emergency phones located around the Wayne State campus, its perimeter and in parking facilities help student Sydney Newman feel safe. “... Wayne State makes me feel safe but to know it would happen right here that is very scary to me, very scary,” Newman said.

Uber, a taxi service users order with a smartphone app, has been plagued by scary rape and safety headlines at home and abroad, but users at Wayne State said it’s still a safe way to travel. As soon as a car is ordered, Uber uploads a photo of the driver and provides a description of the vehicle and, often, the license plate number, said Wayne State junior Regina Szlag.

“Always make sure you’re with a group of people,” she said. “Never go to one of these cars by yourself.”