Dear Ohio State Community Member:
You are receiving this notice because a crime has occurred that is considered to be of a concern and/or a continuing threat to the campus community.
The purpose of this message is to heighten your safety awareness by providing community members with information necessary to take appropriate precautions, enable you to take actions to help increase your safety, and to aid in the prevention of similar crimes.
In the early morning hours of Friday, November 10, an incident occurred in the immediate off-campus area classified by Ohio law as assault but classified by the Clery Act as a hate crime motivated by bias against the Jewish community.
A hate crime is defined by the Clery Act as a criminal offense that manifests evidence based on sufficient objective facts that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim. The categories of bias in the Clery Act are race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Ohio State students were approached by two unknown male suspects near 1840 N. High Street. According to reports, the suspects yelled a derogatory term and assaulted two students while asking if they were Jewish. One of the two victims was treated at the Wexner Medical Center and released.
The Columbus Division of Police (CPD) is the lead law enforcement agency and is investigating the crime with assistance from The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD). Crimes are never the fault of the victim. Anyone with information is encouraged to call CPD at 614-645-4545.
As outlined in a message from acting president Peter Mohler sent on November 6 and reiterated in a second message today, Ohio State will not tolerate violations of the law or university policy. This includes but is not limited to antisemitism, bigotry, Islamophobia, racism, sexism and violence. For more about how to report threats to your personal safety or protected class discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct, please see the Key Issues website.
Additional safety resources are available at: https://dps.osu.edu/resources. The Office of Institutional Equity is available to students, faculty and staff who have experienced protected class discrimination, harassment or sexual misconduct. Wellness resources are also available. Students in need of assistance are encouraged to use:
Students can take advantage of a variety of others, according to interest and need. CCS also provides guidance for ways faculty and staff can support students. Faculty and staff are encouraged to use the Employee Assistance Program or Your Plan For Health.
OSUPD carefully considers information contained in safety notices. All decisions are handled on a case-by-case basis with the safety of our campus community in mind. Law enforcement officers and dispatchers are trained to interview witnesses in an effort to obtain as much information as possible, such as build, hair style, hair color, facial hair, skin tone, eye color, tattoos or identifying marks, teeth, clothing, shoes, etc. OSUPD may limit the use of race, or other descriptors, unless accompanied by a detailed description of the suspect. In an effort to share information in a timely manner, details may be limited and are based on information known or reported at the time of issuance.