BYU Police Investigate Alleged Sexual Assault
Nov 30, 2020, 11:27 PM | Updated: 11:38 pm
PROVO, Utah — Investigators with the BYU Police Department have been searching were looking for the suspect in an alleged sexual assault that took place inside a dorm in on-campus housing.
According to investigators and a timely warning notice issued by the university, the female student met the man recently on a dating app and invited him to her room Sunday night in Helaman Halls, David John Hall.
The alleged assault took place sometime between 7 and 10 p.m., according to Lt. Jeff Long, before the suspect left at 10:16 p.m.
“He left in a white Subaru Outback that we have on campus, on camera leaving Helaman Halls,” Long said.
Long said the vehicle was believed to be a 2011 model.
Police said they identified the registered owner of the Subaru but were uncertain if it was the suspect they were seeking. They had not located that individual as of late Monday.
As of Monday night, officers had not located it.
The suspect was being described as a man between the ages of 18 and 21 with a tan complexion and athletic build, about 6-feet-tall or 6-foot-1-inch, likely weighing between 165 and 170 pounds.
Police said he had dark brown hair that was curly on top and short on the sides and was last seen wearing black Adidas sweat pants and a flannel, plaid button-up shirt with blue, red and purple colors.
Long urged other students to be cautious with who they meet online.
“It’s not uncommon for perpetrators to use a bogus name on these apps, so just make sure you’re not somewhere secluded with the person that you don’t know,” Long said. “There are a lot of predators out there.”
The warning from police appeared to be resonating with students already Monday evening.
Paige Mortensen said she lived in the same building where the alleged sexual assault took place and described what happened as “really scary.”
“Hopefully people are just going to be more careful,” Mortensen said. “I think it was just kind of a wake-up call for me especially just to be more careful about who I’m surrounding myself with.”
Police encouraged students to report any incidents or suspicious activity to dispatch at 801-422-2222.
