TW: This article contains mentions of sexual assault.
An individual was sexually assaulted on a bus going toward the North Hall Bus Loop on April 4. This follows a similar incident that occurred on Jan. 20.
According to a timely warning sent on April 7, the same day the incident was reported to the UCSB Police Department (UCPD), the suspect is a male in his 30s. No other descriptors were given. Last Saturday, the suspect sat next to the survivor and placed a backpack on his lap. He then proceeded to rub the person’s thigh.
Once the bus arrived at the bus loop and the survivor exited, the suspect continued to follow them. The survivor alerted people nearby, which caused the suspect to walk away. The survivor did not know the suspect previously.
During the January incident, a different survivor was on the same route to the bus loop when the suspect carried out the same actions and touched the survivor’s private body parts. The timely warning did not specify whether it was the same suspect as in the first incident.
The January suspect was described as a male in his 20s to 30s wearing a gray beanie and an all-black outfit, including a t-shirt, sweatpants, shoes and a backpack. He is described as about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and roughly 220 pounds. The survivor also did not know the suspect previously.
The UCPD is currently investigating these incidents. Those with information can contact authorities at 805-893-3446 or report information anonymously via an online form.
A version of this article appeared on p.6 of the April 9 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
