A black male attempted to rob a 16-year-old Gatton Academy student at around 1:05 p.m. today, WKU Police Department communications commander Mike Dowell said.

A WKU Alert text message was sent out a little more than an hour after the incident saying, “Attempted robbery at 1:05 p.m., a black male, 6’00 ft, full beard and mustache wearing a dark tobagin and gray jacket. Attempted to rob a male near Bates Shop. Subject left in a dark colored car.”

Dowell said the WKU Alert was sent an hour after the incident because it can take awhile to get all necessary information together.

“There’s no time limit set on it,” he said. “It’s a ‘soon as possible’ kind of thing.”

Assistant Chief Joe Harbaugh said the information in the WKU Alert is all the information WKUPD has at the moment. They are also looking into some possible video footage of the incident.

“We’re going back through and talking to the victim right now,” he said.

Dowell said the offender told the victim to give him his money and the victim wouldn’t and called the police. The offender then fled on foot, entered the car and left the area.

WKUPD is asking anyone with information to contact them at 745-2548 or Warren County Crime Stoppers at 781-CLUE.