The Cypress Police Department is currently still investigating the case of a Cypress College student who was sexually assaulted on Aug. 31.
The student first informed an instructor on Sept. 28, Campus Safety was then notified about the assault. Cypress Police Department were immediately informed afterwards.
“We are currently investigating the case and are looking for leads,” said Sergeant Robert Cote of the Cypress Police Department. “We do not have additional information but we are telling the public to keep doing normal safety practices.”
The police are cautious to not tip off any possible suspects, or accuse the wrong person. They are also keeping the victim’s privacy rights in mind.
Ralph J. Webb, director of campus safety at Cypress College, said that they are working with the police and had no other information to share at this time.
Webb said that his department had already began the process of adding four more bicycles for their officers to patrol on. Those officers will be trained within the coming weeks.
Webb emphasizes that campus safety patrols the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by car and on foot. The campus is also monitored by 147 cameras.
The student reported that shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, a male grabbed her by the arm, forced her into a vehicle and drove to a location off campus where she was sexually assaulted.
The suspect was described as being approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall with a skinny build, bald, and having dark brown eyes. He was said to be wearing a blue and white striped polo-style shirt and blue denim shorts.
The suspect’s vehicle was described as being yellow and black. A vehicle in those colors was seen on campus surveillance video around the time when the alleged abduction happened. The car is said to appear to be a Ford Crown Victoria model with a yellow body, black trim on the bottom and black rims.
The student said that after the alleged assault, she was driven back and released by the suspect not far from the campus, at a construction site.
Cypress campus safety and Cypress police department will continue their investigation, if you have any information about this incident or the suspect, please contact campus safety at (714) 484-7387 or Cypress police department.