BATON ROUGE - An LSU student who was shot during an attempted robbery outside a dorm building reportedly got into a struggle with his attacker before the gun went off.
A newly filed arrest warrant identified the suspected shooter as 19-year-old Clarence Hypolite, who met the victim during LSU's "Welcome Week," an orientation period for its newest class of freshman students.
The victim told police he was walking by West Laville Hall around 11:30 p.m. Friday when Hypolite approached him and struck up a conversation. The victim went on to say that after his friends pulled up in a car alongside them, Hypolite asked if he could charge his phone in their vehicle.
After some time passed, the victim said he handed back the phone and told Hypolite they had to leave for a party. When the victim tried to walk away, Hypolite reportedly pulled a gun, put it against the student's side and told him "stop playing with me and give me everything."
The victim added that Hypolite threatened to "kill you right here" if he moved and also warned he would shoot if any of his friends came closer. When one of the victim's friends got out of the car, the student said he felt the gun move and tried to take it away from his attacker.
A brief struggle ensued, and the victim was shot. He was later taken to a hospital and is expected to be OK.
The mugger reportedly ran away after the gun went off, dropping his phone and leaving it behind. Investigators got hold of the phone and used it to help identify Hypolite as the would-be robber.
Police are still looking for Hypolite as of Wednesday afternoon.