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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

    Police ID student suspect in assault

    The suspect has been identified in the case of a student who said she was sexually assaulted in her dorm room, but he has not been charged.

    According to a campus safety alert posted in dorms over the weekend, the student was sexually assaulted a little before 5 a.m. Friday morning in her room in Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall. The student had left her door unlocked and woke up to find an unknown male assaulting her. She yelled at the male, and he left.

    University of Arizona Police Department spokesman Sgt. Eugene Mejia said police were able to identify and talk to the suspect, who is a UA student, over the weekend. His name is not being released because no charges have been brought against him.

    Mejia said UAPD is communicating with the Pima County Attorney’s Office, which will decide how to handle the case after more information is gathered.

    The Pima County Attorney’s Office has several avenues and could still decide to pursue charges or could put the case before a grand jury, he said.

    The investigation is ongoing, and Mejia said he could not comment on the specifics of the case.

    He said in cases where there’s a clear indication that a crime was committed and where there are no extraordinary circumstances, an arrest is usually made right away.

    “”After meeting with the individual we determined he was not an immediate threat to the community, and we knew we needed additional information,”” he said.

    Mejia said the victim did not know the suspect at the time of the incident and said alcohol was involved.

    He said he did not know if the suspect was a resident of Arizona-Sonora or any other dorm on campus.

    Messages left at the Dean of Students Office were not returned in time for print.

    Sexual assaults in the dorm where the victim does not know the suspect are rare. In most cases UAPD deals with, the suspect and victim are acquaintances, Mejia said.

    Mejia said police plan to take down the safety alert postings because there is no longer a sense of urgency or danger.

    “”When the suspect had not yet been identified we wanted to make sure that everyone had the information so that he could not prey on students,”” he said.

    Mejia said students should still continue to take safety precautions to minimize the chances of being involved in a similar situation.

    Students should avoid situations where there is alcohol and where they are left with strangers. Students should also lock doors and windows, stay with friends when going out and let people know where they are.

    Tips given in the security alert also included reporting all suspicious activity to police, not allowing people without a key into residence halls and using only authorized entrances to the residence halls.

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