Weekends are not the only time when safety is an issue for some University of Wisconsin students, as a 21-year-old was mugged on West Mifflin Street at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The student was on his way home from studying when he was allegedly jumped by two men in their early twenties. According to a Madison Police Department news release, one of the suspects allegedly punched him while the other dug in his pockets for his wallet.

"This is the first mugging of this type that I've heard of occurring downtown this semester," said Common Council President Mike Verveer, District 4, who represents the area in which the incident occurred.

The victim, however, was not injured. The release stated the student yelled and fought back when he was attacked, and the assailants were unable to grab his wallet.

"I'm obviously very distressed to hear of the mugging," Verveer said. "I'm relieved that the victim was uninjured, and I also think it's great that they weren't able to get any of his belongings."

Verveer said this incident stands out among recent others.

"It's unusual for something like this to happen at a relatively early time in the evening on a weeknight," Verveer said.

Last year, he said, most of the cases like this one occurred around bar time on the weekends and usually involved intoxicated victims. The incident also stands out for its locations, as the 600 block of West Mifflin Street is a dead-end street that is still typically well–traveled.

However, the area in which the incident occurred was one block on Mifflin that did not receive new streetlights this summer.

"We've been working on improving the pedestrian lighting, and I had pedestrian lighting installed in 400 and 500 blocks this summer," Verveer said. "One thing I now want to study further is if the street lighting is adequate in that block."

Verveer said the new pedestrian-friendly streetlights are lower to the ground so that tree canopies will not obstruct the lighting.

"It's something that I've fought to have happen in my district for several years," Verveer said.

According to Verveer, the new officers that will soon be hired by the Madison Police Department should also help keep students safe.