Two suspicious incidents have occurred in the Broadway Housing Building during the month of March.
Because the incidents have some similarities, the PSU Campus Public Safety Office is urging students to take extra safety precautions.
Man enters occupied dorm room
On Monday, March 25, CPSO issued a timely warning reporting that an unknown man had entered an occupied dorm room in the building at around 5 a.m.
The female student in the room was asleep and woke up when the man made unwanted physical contact with her, said CPSO Chief Phil Zerzan.
“He started rubbing and tickling her back. Detective Matt Horton is working on this case and following up [with the victim],” Zerzan said.
The suspect was described as an adult white male with a thin build who looked to be “college-age,” which could range from 19–35 years old, and did not appear to be a transient. He had a beard and was wearing a white beanie-style hat, a dark coat, light-colored trousers and Toms shoes.
Man found sniffing underwear
Another female student has come forward to report that on March 3 she went into the fourth-floor laundry room in Broadway and found a man sniffing her underwear.
CPSO wasn’t aware of this incident until March 13, after the victim talked to University Housing and Residence Life about the activity and was advised to report it.
The suspect in this case is described as an adult white male in his 30s, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a medium build, brown shaggy hair and a full beard.
The incidents are concerning, and may or may not be related, Zerzan said.
“There were two very different behaviors in each report, and the time delay [of the laundry room incident] makes it hard to connect the two. The suspects also have different physical descriptions,” he said.
In the timely warnings, CPSO reminds students to employ simple safety measures for their protection, such as making sure doors are shut and locked. Students are also advised to call CPSO’s emergency line at 503-725-4404 to report anyone believed to be unauthorized to be in the dorm housing units or any suspicious activity.
Sending out the timely warnings is key to keeping students informed and safe, Zerzan said.
“We’ve been very diligent in putting out timely warnings and we will continue to do so,” he said.
In the timely warning for the safety alert at Broadway, CPSO advised students to contact University Housing at 503-725-4370 with any concerns about these or related matters.
Information and updates about these kinds of incidents is also available on the PSU Public Safety website at pdx.edu/cpso. If students have nonemergency concerns regarding campus safety, they can contact CPSO at 503-725-4407.
As always, support services are available to anyone affected by these incidents at the Women’s Resource Center and the Center for Student Health and Counseling.