UW-La Crosse police arrest suspect in connection to sexual assault

UWL Alert Content Warning: This email contains sensitive content about sexual assault.  Timely warnings are issued in an effort to make the UWL community aware of any situation that poses a potential threat to the safety and well-being of those who live, work, study, and visit the campus. By keeping you aware of crimes occurring in your community, University Police hope to encourage you to become actively involved in crime prevention. In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990, UWL issues this timely warning.

Reported Offense:  A sexual assault was reported to the University Police on Saturday, October 30, 2021, at approximately 10:24 pm.  The reported assault occurred on Friday, October 29, 2021, at approximately 2:00 am, in the parking ramp located on Farwell St.  The victim reported that an unknown male pulled her into a vehicle parked outside of the Library Bar, downtown La Crosse.  The vehicle was occupied by five other male subjects, also unknown by the victim.  The victim was taken to the parking ramp and into a stairwell where the assault occurred.

Suspect Description:  White male, brown hair, approximately 5’11’’, dark jeans, black t-shirt, red or white hoodie.  4 white male passengers, the last passenger was described as having dark hair, dark beard, with a tan complexion.

Vehicle Description:  Medium grey 4 door sedan with Wisconsin license plates. Perpetrators are responsible for sexual assaults.

Perpetrators take advantage of vulnerability and seek opportunities to commit sexual assaults.  Sexual Assault is a felony offense in the state of WI. Sentencing can include up to 9 months jail to 40 years in prison, and/or $10,000 – $100,000 in fines. While no victim is to blame for what happens to them, there are recommendations on how individuals can increase their personal safety.

These include:  • Don’t feel obligated to do anything you don’t want to. “I don’t want to” is always a good enough reason. • Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe, get to a safe place, and call for help. • Create a safety plan. If you are concerned for your ongoing safety, it can be worthwhile to create a safety plan. Safety planning is about finding ways to be safe in the present while planning for your future safety as well.  Make use of on-campus resources.