Community advisory: Assaults on and near campus

Bellingham Police and University Police officers have responded to two separate reports of women being grabbed by unknown assailants in the last week.

Last Friday evening, a Western student reported that she was grabbed by her arm as she was walking on a pathway near the Fairhaven Academic Building. The incident occurred at about 6:30 PM. She said a male subject approached her asking for directions and then grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her towards a wooded area. She was able to break free and run to a safe location. She described her assailant as a white male, 18 to 24 years-old, wearing blue jeans and a dark colored hoodie. She reported that he was about 6’00” tall with a slender build.

Last night, another Western student reported that she was walking near N. Garden and Beech Street when a male subject stepped from behind some bushes and grabbed her wrist. She said she was able to strike her assailant in the face and that he then ran southbound on N. Garden and away from the area. He was described as a white male, about 5’08”, with an average build and in his early twenties. The victim stated that the suspect was wearing dark sweatpants and a long-sleeved, light grey shirt or hoodie.

No suspects have been identified and it is unknown if these two incidents are related. Police are following leads and asking for anyone with information about either incident or having seen suspicious persons on or around the Western campus to call the University Police Department at (360) 650-3555 or Detective Renick with the Bellingham Police Department at (360) 778-8754 about the N. Garden incident.

For anyone walking during the hours of darkness; try to walk with others, stay in well-lighted and well-traveled areas; always be aware of your surroundings and anyone in the area; keep your cellphone handy; if you are on campus, be aware of the locations of the emergency “blue phones” and if you must walk alone, call University Police for a safety escort from our Public Safety Assistants.