A female Penn student reported that an unknown male grabbed her and “touched her in an inappropriate manner” last night at about 12:45 a.m. nearby Gregory College House, according to the Division of Public Safety.
The student, walking with a friend at the time of the incident, reported the assault to an AlliedBarton Security officer who then notified the Penn Police, which responded immediately. The male was reported to be black, in his late 20s and about six feet tall with a thin build. He was wearing a dark polo shirt, jeans, boxer shorts and had close-cropped hair, according to Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush.
Although DPS is investigating a possible suspect, he is currently not being charged with any crime associated with the incident. Because there was no “absolute apprehension” of a suspect, DPS issued a UPennAlert shortly after the incident, warning students that a male exhibited “lewd behavior” on the 3900 block of Locust Walk, Rush said.
According to Rush, there will be increased security and police in the area tonight to “ensure further safety.” She added that DPS “would like to take this opportunity to make sure people are aware of circumstances and their surroundings” and encourage students to use walking and riding escorts in addition to the Penn Guardian system.
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