A 36-year-old Madison man foiled a possible robbery Monday night on the 1200 block of South Park Street, kicking the robber in the face and causing him to flee.

According to the police report, at 6:41 p.m., the victim stepped outside a South Park Street business to have a cigarette. Standing at the top of the four-step staircase, he was aware of an unfamiliar man at the bottom of the stairs.

As the man pulled out a small knife with his left hand, he commanded the victim give up his wallet, according to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain. The victim responded by kicking the robber in the face.

“[The victim] immediately grabbed the railing of the staircase and kicked the suspect in the face with his right foot,” DeSpain said.

After falling to the ground, the robber got up and ran south down Park Street. The knife itself, according to DeSpain, was described by the victim as a “smaller version of a Swiss Army knife, maybe even a keychain” with a 1 1/2 inch blade.

According to the police report, the victim himself suffered no injuries besides a foot he reported as still hurting from the kick.

“We assume [the suspect] suffered some kind of facial injuries, but how badly he was injured because of the kick we do not know,” DeSpain said.

After delivering the kick, the victim went back into the building, locked the door and notified authorities. A police dog was then brought to the scene but was unable to track the perpetrator.

The victim said he believed the suspect was drunk or on drugs at the time of the incident because much of his speech was slurred.

Ald. Bryon Eagon, District 8, a public safety review committee member, reiterated safety should be top priority, especially for students.

“In general it’s unfortunate that a lot of times, people think of safety as a reaction to these incidents,” Eagon said. “Especially with students, when they’re so busy and have so much stuff going on, refreshing safe practices is an important goal.”