Gopal Veeraswamy, a Temple University professor, is recovering the hospital after being attacked on campus on Tuesday.
The 81-year-old professor suffered bleeding and swelling of the brain after being attacked and robbed in Anderson Hall.
Temple spokesman Ray Betzner told NBC that the robbery was an “unusual situation.”
“Temple has a very, very safe campus,” Betzner said. “To get into the area where this took place, an individual would have to show an ID to a guard to be able to get up into the elevator that would be up there.”
Veeraswamy teaches Intellectual Heritage at the school.
Iman Keita, a Temple student, said that she almost skipped class after receiving an alert reporting the attack and robbery.
“I didn’t want to go to class,” she said. “When we get alerts like that, especially the fact that it was on the main campus in a building, it really does make me nervous.”
The suspect demanded Veerasway’s wallet while placing a knife at the professor’s throat, police told CBS.
After taking the wallet, the man punched the professor in the face.
There were blood stains along the hallway where the attack happened.
Betzner said that the school has increased security following the attack.
Police also released a surveillance video of the suspect.
He’s an African American male, 35-to-40-years-old, with a mustache and close cropped beard. He was last seen wearing a dark colored jacket, blue jeans and a lanyard around his neck.
Any one with information is asked to call Temple University Police at 215-204-1234.
