Man exposes himself to, touches victim on UT campus: UTPD
AUSTIN, Texas - Police at the University of Texas are looking for a suspect in an indecent assault.
In the middle of the day at the Union building, UT Austin Police say a man exposed himself and touched a victim. The man left the area before officers could arrive.
He is believed to be around 40 to 50 years of age with salt and pepper hair. He was last seen wearing a maroon shirt, cream-colored pants, and a dark gray or black backpack.
"People joke about, ‘oh, this lewd behavior is just common. It's no big deal.’ It is a big deal and when you don't hold people accountable for crime, then many times they're just re-offending," said Joell McNew, president of SafeHorns, a local organization aimed at making the area in and around UT safer for students.
McNew says this is not the first time she’s heard of a case of indecent assault happening on campus and also in West Campus.
"We need to hold criminals accountable, and we need to make sure that students and citizens are reporting and then they see a consequence, and that they feel justified rather than immediately seeing someone released and right back on the street to re-offend," she said.
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She says SafeHorns has also opened a location for students in the heart of West Campus in the artist market called SafeHorns Place. She says it is a spot where they plan to host different events for students including self-defense classes and education on situational awareness.
On top of looking out for their own safety, McNew says it is important for students to help each other especially if they see something suspicious.
"We need our students to watch out for each other. Call 911 when you see suspicious activity behavior and do it for someone else and watch out for each other," she said.
If you see this suspect on campus, you are asked to call 911 immediately. If you have any information on this case, call 512-471-4441 and select extension 9.