Regrettable, but here it comes.

A gun in this case would not have helped. In fact might have gotten him killed.

A can of Aqua net does wonderful things. I hope he or the cops trace that iPhone. Android has a program called cyberus that is awesome. It even takes a pic of the bad guy and sends it to your computer at home. The screen goes black so they think it is shorting or something then u can even lock it from home too. Hopefully these people are caught. I feel bad for the student. Why would they want a flash drive? Really?

Maybe our village leaders could make Shorewood a gun-free zone.

CowDung - Yes, but we know the victim didn't pull out a gun, and we know he wasn't killed. That isn't speculation. That is what I've always been told to do if I was robbed, hand it over, who cares about a few replaceable items. Also, I'm sure the neighbors in Shorewood wouldn't want a shoot out with bullets possibly penetrating their homes.

People. Quit flashing expensive and much desired cell phones while walking at night. And keep your cars empty of any packages, GPS, or cell phones. You'll be less of a target. Really. It is common sense.

I have said it before....and I will keep on saying it.
The Village needs much better street lighting.
When I walk my dog I can hardly see where I am going. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

My daughter was robbed (gunpoint) in back of our home. 3600 block of Maryland...years ago. The village told me that the lighting is for ambiance!
Swap out the glass...come on! I can't see ice on the side walk...it's way too dark out there...maybe a lawsuit...when someone gets shot will get things moving ??

MAYBE HE WAS ROBBED BECAUSE IT WAS SHOREWOOD...NOTHING TO DO WITH GUN FREE THIS OR THAT...A SLEEPY SUBURB WITH NOBODY OUT PAST 11PM....

Why did we used to know what neighborhoods not to walk alone at night in? Now it just seems like the neighborhood is milwaukee county.... Smh.... Another gun will never outdraw a gun that's already pointed at you also, and I am a concealed carry license holder as well as a uwm student, but possessions aren't worth it... This is frustrating, hope they find the guys....

Shocked that the Patch identified the suspects as BLACK. Good for you.

I have some thoughts on the street lighting. Street illumination is normally provided so that pedestrians can safely navigate after sundown. When I first moved hear and saw what we had for street lighting, which I believe is Low Pressure Sodium, I thought that lights were poorly placed and underpowered to provide effective illumination. Low Pressure Sodium lamps are usually a cost control measure since they produce effective lighting at low cost. They are also used to reduce light pollution which washes out the night sky. However, they do burn with an orange glow, which our eyes don't see well in, washing out certain colors and visual acuity.
I don't think changing the street lighting is going to change pedestrian safety to being victims of crime. I think the South East Quadrant of the Village should be constantly patrolled by a squad if we continue to see a rise in armed robberies. I would much rather see cops confront gun toting criminals, than some innocent citizen.

In all, the street lighting needs to be reevaluated and possible changes made. Ambiance is one thing pedestrian safety another, but better illumination will cost money.

Amazing how the littlest story now becomes a gun debate, what a waste of time. Shorewood's street lights are the worse I've ever seen. They do not "light" the street but do give great shadow areas for those looking for it. One thing that would possibly deter crime is real sentences with sharp claws instead of the crooks having more rights then the victims.

It is completely foolish for anyone to comment about "if the victim had a gun or not", talk about 20-20 hindsight but some still must chime in. Conceal/carry law does not mean that every person will be packing heat (besides the often forgotten part about the owners needing to be licensed, take training). There is no responsible way to say after the fact whether a gun would or would not have helped. Of course I could find a bad guy and ask for a gun and they'd be back with several to choose from, with ammo. Bet those bad guys don't follow the "no guns allowed on premises" signs they we have to. Hmm, how does that work,,,,

I think that if the glass in the lamps was replaced it would allow more light..the glass looks thick....textured...and old...a simple, effective solution.
It's not just about crime...there is ice on the sidewalks, bikers in the streets..often w/o reflective clothing..and on and on. Better lighting is a GOOD idea!

Does increased lighting reduce crime or increase crime --- studies show both can happen:

The following is an excerpt from: http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/crime.html

"How lighting can aid crime

The majority of crime occurs either in daylight hours or beneath artificial lights. Here are some possible explanations as to why this is the case.

Crime usually occurs where or when there are few (if any) witnesses, and so the lighting levels are irrelevant.
Lighting can highlight potential targets ("easy pickings"), security lapses and even escape routes - in short, light can help criminals be quick and quiet.
Lighting can help criminals see what they are doing, minimising any risk to themselves.
Outwards shinning lights can hide criminal activity with glare, providing ideal cover for a burglar at night by blinding potential witnesses (see CCTV scuppered by street lights, and our floodlights page).
PIR activated floodlights are so frequently triggered that they are ignored by neighbours "

From the many studies done from what I have learned, lighting can sometimes help reduce crime but not always -- and the "light it all up" approach is the most ineffective -- specific lighting for specific areas and times are the best approach, cost the least, but take the most time to assess.

Rather than looking at lighting as a way to deter street crime, I would suggest that police patrol more and better.

For instance almost any morning and very often even at other times, there is a WFB patrol car idling on Wilson facing south at the traffic coming out of Shorewood, or it is on the side street bordering the west side of CVS.

These may be good spots for speed traps, but do nothing to deter crime in residential areas, or to spot suspicious persons or behaviors in residential areas.

Rather than burning gas and trying to catch the occassional speeder --- wouldn't that car be much better used patrolling the residential areas, and in the mornings, and afternoons, especially patrolling the areas around schools ?

For me...as I have stated before...this is about over-all safety.
Have you ever walked the side streets of Shorewood after dark???
If not....please do.
In the winter there is often ice/snow making it difficult to navigate.
Bikers are hard to see....they are off to the side of where the cars headlights shine...I could go on and on. What's the big deal with improving the lighting...do you think that it will make ALL safely issues worse?????
This is about OVER-ALL safety...not just robbers!!!!

Good lighting can also alert a potential victim to people up ahead or behind them. I am an avid night time walker and am constantly on alert as to what or who is in front of and behind me. Body language tells a lot. I can tell a fitness walker from someone walking home from uwm or walking their dog from someone that may be up to no good if the lighting is good. If it is not good I do not feel as secure. Even though I do wear an Ipod I am constantly aware of my surroundings which I think some people are not, especially younger kids that may be texting etc., Vigilance is key. We have a good community here that occasionally has crime but if you can take steps to stay safe. It would be nice if the village could do their part as well with better lighting. As far as the police patrolling is concerned, there are only so many of them on duty at one time and I think we have enough smaller things going on to keep them busy. Perhaps if the criminals can't find victims they will stop coming here. They probably knew they had a good target with UWM close by.

@ Cowdung...I do not want BRIGHT lighting...I want adequate lighting.