Shocking moment University of Chicago student, 21, fights off robber by snatching his gun after he tried to steal her phone

A student at the University of Chicago bravely fought off an attacker by snatching his gun after three students were robbed minutes apart on one of the busiest blocks near the campus Wednesday.

Surveillance camera nearby captures the moment when Madelyn, 21, confronted the suspect and grabbed his weapon before the robber got into a getaway car with her phone.

'I'm able to get my hands on the gun... and remove the magazine from the gun, and I toss it into the bush,' Maddi told ABC7.

The masked attacker, seen in a black hoodie and light-colored pants on camera, took off with his driver in a black vehicle.

Minutes before Maddi was robbed, four armed suspects approached two students and demanded property. They fled the scene in a black Infiniti car.

A student at the University of Chicago bravely fought off an attacker by snatching his gun after three students were robbed minutes apart on one of the busiest blocks near the campus Wednesday

Surveillance camera nearby captures the moment when Madelyn, 21, confronted the suspect and grabbed his weapon before the robber got into a getaway car with her phone

The first robbery occurred at around 2.50pm Wednesday, when two students were held at gunpoint at 5640 South University Ave on the Hyde Park campus. 

They complied. And the four suspects were able to take off in a four-door black Infiniti. 

Five minutes later, two armed men approached Maddi and demanded her belongings when she was walking off-campus at 1367 East 56th St. 

'I was just walking home from class, and I see a man in a mask approach me. And he kind of comes towards me and I think to myself, "just keep walking," but then we have an altercation.'

Maddi can be seen turning back, seemingly asking for help from others, when the attacker flashed his weapon and snatched her phone. 

'He is grabbing for my phone,' she recalled in an interview with NBC, 'and I am kinda pulling it behind my back.' 

The senior student studying Economics said she can't remember what happened next, but she was able to grab the weapon.  

'In the tussle, I was able to take the magazine out of his gun, and I tossed it into a bush. But at the moment, I didn't know what I was grabbing.' 

The masked robber can be seen searching for the magazine for a few seconds, before he returned back to the dark-colored vehicle parked nearby. 

'I think fight definitely kicked in, but I'm in no way advocating of resisting armed robbery. I think it was really not the right decision looking back on it,' Maddi said. 

No injuries were reported, and Chicago police are investigating the robbery. 

'I don't blame the campus...I don't blame the bystander...I don't blame the police ... they did a great job,' Maddi said. 

'I think it's just finding the people who did this attack, because they will do it again,' she said, adding that she usually feels safe walking on campus. 

 UChicago Police issued a statement shortly after the incident, saying: 'Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Do not resist an armed robbery unless absolutely necessary. 

'Avoid using cell phones or other electronic devices while on the street. When walking, try to walk with a group or have a friend walk with you. There is safety in numbers,' the statement reads. 

Michele Rasmussen, Dean of students, wrote: 'UCPD and our Campus Safety Ambassadors have increased their presence in the area.' 

'While the overall number of robberies in our area has decreased over the last year, we are continuing active measures to reduce crime.'