Neighborhood Safety Notice:
We are sharing the below information on behalf of the Columbus Division of Police for a crime that occurred in the off-campus area.
Two incidents occurred off-campus during the early morning hours of Sunday, July 28. At approximately 4:30 a.m., a female not affiliated with Ohio State was sleeping in her vehicle behind a home on E. 16th Ave when an unknown male entered the car. She reported that he made sexual advances, demanding that the female remove her shirt. He then began touching her legs. She exited the vehicle and the man fled in an unknown direction.
She described the suspect as a white male in his early 40’s, with long hair and a full beard. At the time, he was wearing American Flag shorts.
A few hours later, at 9:30 a.m., a female student reported that she was walking her dog in an alley between E. 11th and Chittenden avenues when an unknown male approached from behind. The suspect groped her lower body. The female student yelled for help and the man fled.
He was described as a white male between the ages of 25 and 35, standing 5’10” and weighing 170 pounds. Reports indicate he had a long ponytail with light brown or blonde hair and no facial hair. He was wearing American Flag shorts.
There is reason to believe these crimes are related and possibly were committed by the same suspect. The Columbus Division of Police is actively investigating and police will have extra patrols in the area. CPD encourages anyone with information related to these crimes to call 614-645-4881 or Crime Stoppers at 614-645-8477 (TIPS).
As a reminder, sexual assault is any sexual activity that occurs in the absence of consent. Responsibility lies with the perpetrator, not the survivor. No one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault. Sexual assault occurs in all communities and people of all genders can be survivors. Additional resources are available at: https://titleix.osu.edu/
Crimes are never the fault of the victim. The Ohio State University Police Division encourages everyone to lock doors and windows. When possible, please walk with friends or coworkers and always be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. Please utilize transportation services, when possible, and if you see something, say something: report suspicious behavior by calling police.