University police are searching to identify three suspects who reportedly robbed and beat a woman on campus Nov. 1, according to Jonathan Morales, director of news and news media at SF State.
“(The University Police Department) will utilize all of the tools it has available in order to identify and locate the suspects,” Morales said in an email. “We encourage anyone with any
information about this incident to please contact (the UPD) as soon as possible.”
The woman reported being robbed and beaten with a mini baseball bat around 1 a.m. Nov.1 while walking with her friend near Mary Ward Hall, the Golden Gate Xpress reported.
Kenneth Duncan is a psychology student who lives in the dorms at Mary Ward Hall and used to visit the designated smoking area, near where the incident occurred, several times per day.
“(Since) I got the email about the (robbery), I haven’t come out (to the designated smoking area) at night,” Duncan said. “I mean, I need some kind of weapon on
me. I do feel unsafe, but I try to be as aware as possible of my surroundings, and – worst case scenario – I always do have my keys on me, so I (can) just put
them in between my fingers.”
A total of 37 crimes occurred on campus last year, including burglary, sexual battery and rape, according to SF State’s campus security report from Sept. 30.
However, there was a total of 481 crime reports documented by the UPD from Ja. 1 to Nov. 3, 262 of which occurred during the day and 219 of which occurred at night, according to Morales.
“Please note that the majority of crime reports taken by UPD are misdemeanor violations, many of which are not counted for purposes of compiling the annual Campus Safety and Fire Report,” Morales said.
Similar crimes have occurred on campus over the last few months, according to University crime alerts. A woman reported a sexual battery to UPD Oct.1, when she said that a suspect grabbed her, lifted her up toward the wall and pressed his face against her stomach. The incident occurred in the lobby of Burk Hall, according to the crime alert.
UPD is attempting to address the recent crimes on campus by increasing patrols as needed, Morales said.
Members from the Campus Alliance for Risk-free Environment, who escort students, faculty and staff within the campus community upon request, are available from 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to a recent crime report. When members of CARE are off duty, UPD officers are available to escort students as they walk on campus.
Cameron Vocke, 19, said he often walks around campus alone at night. “I have met several people who are afraid of walking home from class or just around campus in general,” Vocke said. “It’s always best when traveling in groups, although personally I feel safe walking around campus by myself.”
Kyle Liddle, a women and gender studies major who lives in the student apartments on campus, said she feels unsafe walking on campus at night after her evening classes end.
I feel more unsafe on campus that here (in the designated smoking area), just because I’m a girl. Because in our society, it’s scary to be a girl,” Liddle said. “I just have my weapons and I just use that (for protection).”
