The OUPD crime alert is the first for Spring Semester.
Less than a week into Spring Semester, a reported sex crime has spurred Ohio University Police to release its first crime alert.
The alert was released early Thursday afternoon following an incident that allegedly took place earlier that morning.
Police say three men approached a female OU student walking down Jeff Hill at 12:55 a.m. Thursday. One grabbed the woman’s arm and touched her breast and buttocks before all three followed her back to her East Green dorm room. She shut her dorm room door on the men, according to the report.
The man who made contact with the woman is specifically wanted for fourth-degree felony gross sexual imposition, but OUPD Lt. Tim Ryan added that it’s “certainly possible” the other two men could be charged with another offense.
The crime alert described the man who grabbed her arm as about 5’8” tall, with short brown spiked hair; he was wearing a red shirt and black jacket.
The other two men were reported to both have short brown hair and stand about 6’ tall. Both wore black jackets, the alert detailed.
The report described all three men as college-aged, white and of medium build.
OUPD issued four crime alerts during Fall Semester, two of which were for reported rapes. According to OUPD’s website, both reported rape cases are active as of Thursday afternoon.
A case concerning a reported assault near the Washington Hall arch in October is inactive, according to the site.
OUPD also issued a crime alert last semester for a robbery that reportedly took place on South Green, but the case was quickly closed after the alleged victim admitted to fabricating the incident.
OUPD releases crime alerts for incidents that may represent ongoing threats to public safety. The case is under investigation and anyone with knowledge on the incident is encouraged to call OUPD at 740-593-1911.
@SamuelHHoward
