This article was updated at 7:26 p.m., April 22, with the latest information.

The UC Santa Barbara Police Department is currently investigating an attempted abduction of a female at the Labyrinth. The suspect remains at large as of April 22. 

According to a UCSB Timely Alert, the suspect is an “adult Hispanic male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a stocky build, broad shoulders, and weighing approximately 170 to 200 pounds, according to an April 22 report. He has brown eyes and eyebrows that have naturally grown out, and he was dressed in all black including black gloves and a black mask

The UCPD is currently conducting “high-visibility patrols” and will continue to do so.

The message included the following safety tips: “Perpetrators are responsible for sexual assault. Crime victims are never responsible for the behavior of perpetrators,” “If you start to feel concerns about a person or a situation, trust your instincts and try to remove yourself as quickly as possible from the potential threat,” “If you think someone is at risk of assault or abuse, you should consider it an emergency and act to support that person. You can call the police or ask for help from other people, intervene directly if safe, or create a distraction to help remove the potential victim from the situation.” and “If you feel you are being followed, try to get the attention of people nearby, run/walk to a well-lit and/or more populated area, and call 911 to ask for help.”

If you have information that might assist the investigation, the UCPD says to contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446 or report crime anonymously at www.police.ucsb.edu/report-crime.

The Community Service Officer Escort Program is available for students to have an escort instead of walking alone at night. Call (805) 893-2000 to request an escort.

The Nexus will continue reporting on this topic as more information becomes available.

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Lizzy Rager
Lizzy Rager (she/her) is the Lead News Editor for the 2024-25 school year. She can be reached at lizzyrager@dailynexus.com