WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University police say they have identified a person of interest involved in a sexual attack against a female student early Friday morning.
The sexual assault happened at 2 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of Wood Street. Students and staff were notified by text and email at 6:30 a.m.
Purdue police say the victim knew her attacker.
"This is going to be a case of non-stranger sexual assault that we are currently investigating," Captain Eric Chin said.
"There are no certain parameters. A sexual assault is still a sexual assault."
The incident occurred inside Hawkins Hall.
"It makes me feel unsafe. It makes me a little scared when I saw the email in the morning. I don't really wish this happen on campus, it makes me feel a little afraid," Daisy Zhu said.
There were some students who said they were not notified about the sexual assault.
"I didn't get a notification. That's concerning. I live about 20 feet away. Probably would have been good to know," Alyssa Hoffman said.
Purdue has placed emergency boxes at strategic places around campus to protect students. They would not have helped in this case, but some say the school is doing the best it can to protect students.
"I know Purdue is very concerned about their students and takes very good care of us. Bad things happen at universities, but Purdue does what it can to make sure it doesn't happen anymore. I don't feel more unsafe. You can't keep bad things from happening, they're gonna happen," Amanda Smith said.
So far, no arrests have been made in the case.
The university offered tips to help stay safe. Those are:
- Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe, get to a safe place and call for help.
- Walk with confidence and stay alert. Show that you're aware and in control. Body language works to your advantage.
- Don't be distracted with loud headphones.
- If you feel uneasy about a situation, trust your instincts and attempt to interrupt the chain of events. Create a distraction and involve others.
- Avoid secluded places where you could vulnerable.
- Use the buddy system and watch out for each other.
Anybody with any information on the sexual assault should contact Purdue police at 765-494-8221.
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