Rape

A female staff member reported a rape in a South Campus residence hall.

The incident occurred Oct. 17 at about 4:30 p.m., but wasn’t reported until the evening of Oct. 22.

Ohio State Police Captain Eric Whiteside said the investigation is ongoing and he couldn’t provide any more information. He said a public safety notice wasn’t issued because the police “have very limited information … and that was factored into the decision.”

Whiteside later referred The Lantern to University Police’s timely warning policy.

Public safety notices are issued when crimes occur that are considered to be a concern or a continuing threat to the OSU community.

There have been at least five rapes reported on campus in residence halls this year and University Police has issued four notices for sexual assault-related incidents.

A public safety notice was issued Sept. 15 after a rape was reported in a North Campus dorm. The suspect had been identified and escorted from university property before the notice was issued nearly a day after the incident.

Another public safety notice was issued in February about a rape that allegedly occurred Jan. 25 in a residence hall. That notice said recent information about the rape had caused police officers to believe there was a continuing threat.

The other two notices were issued the same weekend after three sexual assaults were reported. One occurred Sept. 27 around East 12th Avenue and North Pearl Street, one was the same night around East 15th Avenue and North Pearl Street and another was reported at a South Campus residence hall earlier that same day.

More than 50 percent  of all rapes and sexual assault incidents were reported by victims to have occurred within 1 mile of their home or at their home.

OSU provides services for victims of sexual assault that include counseling, advocacy, wellness and health services through Student Life.

Disorderly conduct

A female student reported disorderly conduct on Oct. 24 after an altercation occurred between two students.

The two students had lived together and both work at the Wexner Center for the Arts. They had argued in September and exhibited mutually negative feelings at work, according to a University Police report.

On Friday and Saturday, the students each said the other one intentionally bumped into them, and during an Oct. 17 work shift, one of the students ripped the other one’s earphones out.

That student told the one who had been wearing earphones to “tell your mother to stop calling me,” according to the police report. Human Resources is investigating the incident and both students were told to stop talking to one another

Offenses involving underage persons

There were four offenses involving underage persons reported between Oct. 22 and Thursday.

In one incident, reported Oct. 24 at Park-Stradley Hall at about midnight, two men not affiliated with the university were throwing up in trash cans in a student’s room. The resident of the room said the two men had been drinking at a local bar, according to a police report.

One of the men was taken to the emergency department and the other was left in the care of the resident. No charges were filed.

Other reports

A male student was found urinating on a tree on the South Oval on Oct. 24 at about 2:30 a.m. by University Police. He didn’t appear to be intoxicated, according to a police report, and denied consuming any alcoholic beverages.

He apologized to the officer and was sent on his way.

There were also 25 reports of theft between Oct. 22 and Thursday.