Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Police hunt for University of Florida attacker-Gainseville- Joseph Katinas
Students at the University of Florida are being warned about a string of vicious assaults against women near and on the Gainesville campus, and multiple law enforcement agencies are asking for the public's help in finding the attacker.
There have been at least four attacks, each that has similar characteristics, said Officer Ben Tobias, a spokesman for the Gainesville Police Department, on Monday.
The victims are all in their early 20s and white and describe a white male attacking them from behind. None of the victims has been able to describe her attacker in enough detail to create a composite sketch, police said.
The latest attacks have young women in the community on edge with much fear.
"My mom got me a stun gun as soon as I told her about it," student Amanda Clark told CNN. "I'm afraid to walk to my car. My friends and I are calling each other to find someone to walk with us, or sometimes the campus police program for an escort at night. It's scary."
City and campus police are working together to find a man who appears in surveillance videos, but Tobias said police have not named anyone as a suspect.
Local authorities are working with state investigators on possible DNA testing from clothing, he said.
None of the victims were sexually assaulted, Tobias noted. He praised victims for fighting back and bystanders for getting involved when they heard something suspicious.
I find this article disturbing and disgusting. I can't believe that this unknown man would just attack these women on their own, but I'm glad no on Hess been hurt and they and local pedestrians are standing up for themselves.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/08/justice/florida-university-assaults/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
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Agreed, Joe. I find this disgusting and and horrifying. Hopefully this around them will be more observant and look out for each other.
ReplyDeleteIt's honestly a little strange to me that the attacks are reported not to be sexual in nature. While I am glad of this, since there have been enough reports of sexual assaults on college campuses, it does catch my eye. It could provide insight into other motives for attacks on women and the psychological reasons behind them, if they are not based solely in the need to assert dominance. It's good to see that girls are supporting girls in this madness.
ReplyDelete- Elisa Weich, 5th Period
There's an episode like this event on Criminal Minds, but the attacker turned out to be the security guard who would escort the women during night.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought about potential criminals getting their ideas from criminal shows. It would make since though, the offender could take note and improve the crime, do the crime, get caught or get away. how ever they do it, it sure is extremely terrifying.
I wrote a similar blog post last week, and I also think it is so important that people are warned and prepared for this common possibility, specifically at college campuses. Have your read the book "Lucky"? There is a similar assault story and before I read that book I didn't realize the real possibility.
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