BOULDER, Colo. — The University of Colorado Police Department (CUPD) is investigating a report of a sexual assault that happened in a freshman residence hall Wednesday night.
According to police, at about 10 p.m. the suspect knocked on the victim's door, which is in the Williams Village North community.
After the victim opened her door, police said the suspect grabbed her by the neck and sexually assaulted her inside the room.
Police are asking the public for help locating the suspect who is described as a white college-aged man, who's about 6-feet tall with dirty blonde hair, and was wearing a white or grey shirt and sweatpants.
Officers could not say whether the suspect was a resident of or should have been inside the co-ed dorm building, which can only be accessed with an ID card.
CU Boulder Police said they are reviewing surveillance video from inside the dorm.
Anyone with information regarding this crime or the suspect’s location is encouraged to call the tip line at 303-492-4469.
CU Boulder shared the following resources for people impacted by sexual assault:
- University community members seeking free and confidential support, trauma focused counseling, and victim advocacy related to sexual misconduct, harassment, partner abuse, and other types of crimes can also reach out to our Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) at 303-492-8855 (24/7) or assist@colorado.edu.
- Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) provides free, confidential mental health services for students. They can be reached 24/7 at 303-492-2277.
- The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) offers counseling and consulting services to employees, both in-person and via telehealth. FSAP can be reached at 303-492-3020.
- For more information on reporting options, how to be an effective bystander and how to support victims and survivors visit CU Boulder's Don't Ignore It.
Safety tips
Students should note CUPD’s top safety tips, including:
- If you see an emergency occurring, or you or someone else is in danger, call or text 9-1-1.
- Always use the buddy system.
- Be an effective bystander. Don’t ignore situations that seem problematic or indicators that someone is trying to take advantage of a person who is vulnerable.
- When walking, be aware of your surroundings. Avoid distractions like looking at your phone. Walk in well-lit areas.
- Close and lock your doors and windows to help prevent burglaries and assaults.
- All residence hall residents should be conscientious about any strangers trying to enter buildings without an escort or "tailgating," entering residence halls with a group of students.
- Doors leading to living areas in residence halls remain locked 24 hours a day and visitors must be escorted by a hall resident. Do not prop open doors.
If you wish to share information about this or another crime anonymously, contact Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at info@nococrimestoppers.com or 1-800-222-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
Calls to the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers are not recorded and the phone does not have caller ID, according to the NoCo Crimestoppers website. A coordinator completes a tips information form, makes initial inquiries and passes the information along to investigators.
A two-way dialogue system online also allows tipsters to come back and provide additional information and ask questions.
A community board of directors meets regularly to evaluate arrests and determine reward amounts.
> More information about Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers can be found here.
> Additional NoCo Crime Stoppers bulletins can be found here.
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