A safety notice has been issued to students at Fitchburg State University after a female student reported to university police on Sunday that she had been sexually assaulted in the campus library.
The incident that was told to police this weekend reportedly took place between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on October 4. The student described her assailant as a thin male, approximately 19 years old, 5-foot-5-inches tall, who spoke with an unknown accent. She said the male had approached her in the library and began a conversation before initiating physical contact that escalated into sexual assault.
Subsequent investigation yielded reports from additional female students who said they had recently been approached at other campus locations by a suspicious male, with a similar physical description from the allegations in the library.
“The safety of the campus community is paramount, and the university is working with public safety partners to locate the individual described in the reported assault on campus, and our community members will see a heightened police presence around these public locations while this investigation continues,” the university said in a statement.
There will be a heightened police presence on campus as police continue searching for the suspect.
University Police ask that anyone with information about this individual or potentially similar interactions contact them at 978.665.3111. Additional information about on- and off-campus safety may be found on the police website.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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