COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio State student was pistol-whipped during an attempted robbery Saturday during a Facebook Marketplace meetup on the Columbus campus, and police are searching for a second suspect, according to a Public Safety Notice issued by The Ohio State University Police Division.
The police division said that on Nov. 14, at approximately 5 p.m., the student met up with two individuals outside the Ohio Union loop, south of the building, for a Facebook Marketplace exchange.
The student entered the suspects’ vehicle, where the suspects attempted to rob him, according to the notice. During the incident, the student was pistol-whipped by the second suspect, the passenger, before rolling out of the backseat of the fleeing car, police said.
The student suffered a laceration to his head and was transported to the hospital, according to the notice. Their condition(s) could not be confirmed beyond what the agency stated.
Both suspects fled the scene, driving away from campus, police said.
Police have located the vehicle and detained the driver, but are searching for the second suspect, according to the notice. The Department of Public Safety published an image of the second suspect standing near the vehicle.
The Ohio State University Police Division is actively investigating, and anyone with information is encouraged to call 614-292-2121, according to the notice.
This story is based on Public Safety Notice 2026-07 issued by The Ohio State University Police Division on Nov. 14, 2026.
