Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Police have issued a warning for women around the University of Utah campus after at least four women were assaulted late last week.
University of Utah and Salt Lake police were looking Monday for a man they believe groped or spied on at least four women.
On Friday, a woman using a restroom spotted a man inside the facility about 8 a.m., said University Police Sgt. Garth Smith.
About 4:40 p.m., a woman studying in the commons area was approached from behind by a man who groped her. The woman turned around and began making a lot of commotion and the man walked away, Smith said.
Just before 7 p.m., a 23-year-old woman who had just left the Marriott Library and walked to her car when a man grabbed her from behind, said Salt Lake police detective Mike Hamideh.
- White Male
- 6 feet 5 inches
- About 250 pounds
- Brown hair
- Blue Eyes
- The man was last seen wearing dark clothing including a dark jacket with a hood
"It was a bear hug type hold," he said. "This woman physically resists the male and yells."
Hamideh said the perpetrator was an "extremely brazen" person who needed to be caught quickly.
About 7:40 p.m., a woman was walking to her car when she got an uneasy feeling about a nearby man, Smith said. The woman started to run to her car. When she got there, she got into the driver's seat but the man prevented her from closing her door and groped her, he said. The woman hit the panic button on her car, causing the horn to go off repeatedly and the man left.
In each incident, the women described the person that approached them as a white male between 6 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 5 inches tall, weighing about 250 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing dark clothing including a dark jacket with a hood, Smith said.
The woman who reportedly her incident to Salt Lake police estimated the man to be about 215 pounds with short or shaven hair and being in his early to mid 30's. She described him as wearing khaki pants along with a black shirt and black jacket.
All of the incidents happened in the lower campus area in the buildings surrounding the Marriott Library. It was not immediately known of the man said anything to his victims.
Police issued a campus alert on Saturday, warning other students, particularly females, to be aware of their surroundings. Anyone with information can call University police at 801-585-2677.
Calls can also be made to Salt Lake police at 801-799-3000 or anonymous tips can be sent via text messaging to "Crimes," 274637, with the key words "Text SLCPD."
Email:preavy@ksl.com
