What is this notice? Eugene Police received information Saturday, March 17, about more recent safety issues near the University of Oregon campus. EPD shared the following information with the community as a news relese, reprinted below, followed by tips from UOPD. Some alleged incidents that have been discussed on social media by UO students have not been reported to any law enforcement agencies, and cannot be confirmed. Please report crimes and safety concerns IMMEDIATELY to law enforcement; sharing with friends on social media is not sufficient.
Two Incidents Prompt Safety Information for Off-Campus Area
EUGENE POLICE NEWS RELEASE / March 17, 2018
Eugene Police had a steady night with extra officers spending time patrolling the West University area. There was a report of a robbery and also a suspicious condition to be noted for the public.
Please report robberies, and suspicious incidents immediately. Time delays greatly reduce chances of catching suspects.
Robbery at 15th and Mill at 12:58 a.m. today, March 17 - A 19-year-old woman was walking home from a party and reports a manapproached her from the front and grabbed her shoulders as two other suspects came from behind and began searching her for property. The victim did not have any possessions except a cell phone and the suspects fled without any property. There was no mention or display of a weapon. The victim was able to describe one of the suspects as a white male in his 20s, approximately 6'00" tall, with a medium build and weighing about 180 pounds. He was wearing a dark-colored baseball hat and dark-colored hooded sweatshirt. The victim ran to her boyfriend’s residence. The call to 911 occurred about 20-minutes after the incident. Case 1804093
Suspicious Conditions at E. 15th Alley and Alder - At 12:50 a.m. today, March 17, a 21-year-old woman’s friend, called the non emergency line to report the woman had been walking through the alley and observed two males hiding behind some dumpsters and that one of the males was holding a handgun. The dumpsters were next to the Delta Gamma House. The males did not approach or make any movements toward the caller. The woman called a friend after the incident as she ran to a local bar then when she reached the bar told a second friend who called police. This was approximately 20 minutes after seeing the suspects.
The male holding the firearm was described as a black male in his mid-20s, with a medium build, wearing all black clothing. The other suspect was described as being a white male also in his mid-20s, with a medium build and wearing all black clothing. Case 1804394
Eugene Police and Central Lane 911 continue to receive call from concerned people who are concerned about recently reported robberies. We have provided them information about how we and our partners are responding, the need for reporting any suspicious activity, and tips to help make people safer. When we get calls from a few people, we automatically know that there are others out there who would like that information as well:
Eugene Police investigators and partners are working together on these cases. We are continuing to follow up on the cases reported and are focused on getting any and all information we can to help solve these crimes. We have done targeted deployments. Some officers have been designated for rapid response capability. We have called on our forensic experts, and crime analysts. A tipline has been set up to generate more leads for cases already documented at 541-682-5169. For any new incidents that have just happened or are occurring, please call 911 immediately.
You can help us. Please report robberies or suspicious conditions immediately, as this will increase the chances of apprehending suspects. A suspect(s) can travel a great distance in a very short amount of time. In the case of some of the robberies, there was significant time delay in getting the report. We urgently wish to capture these suspects and to do that, we need the public’s help in providing tips and being extra eyes and ears. If you see something, say something.
CAMPUS SAFETY TIPS FROM UOPD
No action or inaction by a crime survivor makes that person responsible for his or her victimization. Perpetrators are responsible for crimes and their effects. The following suggestions may help reduce the possibility of experiencing such a crime, or may improve opportunities to receive prompt assistance.
- Students are encouraged to use UO Safe Ride (541-346-RIDE ext. 2) or Designated Driver Shuttle (541-346-RIDE ext. 1), or the UO Campus Shuttle (map.uoregon.edu/campus-shuttle), call a taxicab, or contact UOPD for an on-campus escort (541-346-2919).
- It is a crime to intentionally touch someone against his or her will, regardless of the situation.
- Bystanders should try to be aware of their surroundings, and if there are signs of a person in distress, bystanders should make themselves known and offer assistance if it is safe to do so, and/or seek immediate help from police or security personnel.
- Every person and situation is different; survivors must decide for themselves what actions or responses are safest in any situation. If someone attempts to touch you against your will, you have the right to yell "NO" loudly, or do whatever is necessary to get the person to let go, and flee to a safe place and seek help. When safe, try to remember as much as possible about the person's appearance and behavior. Regardless of what happens during an incident, you have the right to report the crime and to receive services and accommodations.
- Assaults by strangers are far less common than assaults by people known to survivors. Self-defense classes can prepare people to deter or escape an assault, and have benefits for improved awareness and confidence. Credit courses are available from the Physical Education department under the "PEMA" subject code (http://uocatalog.uoregon.edu/pe_rec/#courseinventory) and from UOPD (/content/self-defense).
- Report criminal activity (such as a break-in or intruder, robbery, or assault) immediately to 9-1-1, or for non-emergency situations on campus, to UOPD at 541-346-2919.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR SURVIVORS OF CRIME
- Survivors have a right to report crimes to police and have crimes investigated and/or prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
- Call 541-346-SAFE at any time or visit safe.uoregon.edu to learn about options and resources.
- For students, a range of support services are available through the Office of the Dean of Students, 541-346-3216; uodos@uoregon.edu.
- For students, personal counseling and other support services are available through the University Counseling and Testing Center, 541-346-3227 (available 24 hours); counseling.uoregon.edu/dnn.
- For students, medical and sexual assault examination services are available at University Health Center, 541-346-2770; healthcenter.uoregon.edu.
- For employees, the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, 541-346-3123, and Office of Human Resources, 541-346-3159, can assist in connecting to resources.
- Other community resources available are Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS), 541-343-7277 (24 hour crisis line) or 541-484-9791, Womenspace, 541-485-8232 or 541-485-6513 (24 hour crisis line), and White Bird Clinic Counseling, 541-342-8255 541-687-4000 (24 hour crisis line).