A rape reported in an on-campus residence hall early Sunday morning prompted a public safety notice. It’s the second time this year that an alleged rape on campus has led to a campus-wide alert.
A woman unaffiliated with Ohio State reported Sunday at about noon that a rape had occurred between 2-3 a.m. in a North Campus residence hall. The suspect was described as a 19-year-old white man, standing at about 5-feet-8-inches tall and weighing approximately 185 pounds, according to the Monday notice.
University Police Chief Paul Denton said the suspect is an OSU student, but does not live in the residence hall where the rape was reported. The suspect and the victim were “very casually acquainted,” he said in an email.
The suspect was identified and “escorted from university property by OSU police officers without incident,” Denton said.
The investigation is open and ongoing, and Denton said no further details are available.
Denton did not directly say why the notice was issued a day after the incident or what the continuing threat or concern was that prompted the notice. He instead referred The Lantern to University Police’s policy on timely warnings.
“The policy explains the variety of reasons a timely warning might be issued among them to inform, increase awareness about safety and to provide resources,” he said.
Public safety notices are issued when crimes occur that are considered to be a concern or a continuing threat to the OSU community.
In February, University Police issued a public safety notice about a rape that allegedly occurred Jan. 25 in a South Campus residence hall. That notice said recent information about the rape caused police officers to believe there was a continuing threat.
