The incident took place at about 11:30 p.m. as the student returned to the on-campus residence halls from Founders’ Hall. According to the University Police Department, the man was standing alone near the loading dock area and called out to her.
The student ignored him, but he walked alongside her, continuing to talk, and at one point he grabbed her arm briefly. She then ran into the nearby residence hall areas. The suspect did not follow and within a few minutes campus police were notified, responded immediately and conducted a search. The suspect had disappeared.
Police said the incident has no connection to two other recent on-campus assaults.
No weapons were involved and the student was not injured. The touching of her arm constituted a misdemeanor assault and battery.
The student did not get a good look at the suspect, but reported he appeared to be a white male about 5’9 to 6’ tall who was wearing a brown jacket that looked wet.
University Police continue to probe two unrelated assaults on campus in February. Chief Thomas Dewey encouraged people to view video of the suspects in the February incident, which are online at the University Police website at http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/bulletins/2010-02-16.php
Further, Dewey said, “We have solid leads to the identities of the people involved in the assault at the Jolly Giant Commons on February 20th, and we hope to take that case to the District Attorney soon.” Information on that case is also posted online at http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/police/bulletins/2010-02-23.php
Based on the account of Sunday night’s encounter, the description of the suspect and what police know about the February assaults, “We are confident that Sunday night’s incident near the University Center was not related to the other two,” Dewey said, adding, “We are treating all three as top priorities.”
Under the federal Clery Act, University Police circulate Crime Alert notices as “timely warnings” of possible ongoing risk to the community, including information about the crime itself and ways in which the community can minimize recurrences.
“The frequency of crime reports just isn’t predictable,” Dewey said. “We issued only one crime alert in 2009 and now we have issued our third in less than a month.” Nevertheless, he said, Humboldt State remains “a very safe campus, both statistically and anecdotally, especially in terms of violent felony crime by strangers. But as a public university, we are an open campus and almost anyone has the right to wander through our 144 acres of buildings and grounds.”
University Police work constantly to strengthen communication and awareness with the campus community, Dewey said. “We will let you know about serious crime that is reported to us. In return, a big part of what keeps our campus safe are prompt and regular reports phoned to UPD about suspicious persons and unusual activity, so that we can get our officers to those places and investigate.” Safety escorts can be requested 24 hours a day at 826-5555.
The campus is planning to sponsor a free, two-hour self-defense awareness program in the near future and community members can register in advance by emailing hsupd@humboldt.edu with the subject line “SAFE Training.” Applicants will receive electronic notification of the next class scheduled.
University Police seek information from the public, including anonymous tips, for all three assault cases. The department can be reached 24 hours at 826-5555 and hsupd@humboldt.edu.