Two sexual assaults reported on campus

Two cases of possible sexual assault were reported this past weekend. Both events were reported Sunday Feb. 19, but these two cases are not related.

“These two victims were able to provide the information identifying the suspects, but no charges have been filed. These two cases are ongoing investigations and we are interviewing all witnesses throughout the spectrum, the evidence and working in conjunction with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation(GBI),” said Ronal Weaver, Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) public safety captain.

The first case involved possible sexual battery and was reported by a female student from Agnes Scott College who was attending a fraternity party. The suspect is a Tech student.

According to the police report, the victim told police that she had been drinking a few shots and mixed drinks with friends. She further added that the drinks were made in the suspect’s room.

She then told the police that she remembers everything up until 1 a.m. and she awoke around 11 a.m. without her shirt. She was unclear as to what really happened but she suspects there had been inappropriate sexual contact.

The victim was referred to DeKalb Medical Center for a medical examination. Evidence from the exam was turned over to the GBI. The GBI is also examining the clothing worn at the time of the incident for possible evidence.

The victim was able to provide the first name of the suspect but was not able to provide more.

According to Weaver, he has been given the name of a witness and he has made an attempt to interview the witness but thus far she has been unreachable.

The second incident was reported by a female Tech student who was also attending a party at a different fraternity house. The suspect is not a Tech student.

According to the victim’s statement to the police, she had been drinking before the alleged incident. The victim recalls that her boyfriend had passed out in his room and shortly after she had climbed up into her boyfriend’s loft.

She stated that she was unclear as to what happened after that but she was wakened by a white male in the bed touching her inappropriately; she realized that she had been disrobed. Initially, the victim had mistaken the individual as her boyfriend but immediately realized he was a stranger.

The victim was taken to Grady Hospital for a medical examination. The evidence is to be turned over to GBI for further investigation. The victim has also submitted other items from the evening to be used as evidence in the investigation.

According to the police report, the suspect was identified by one of the fraternity’s brothers who had invited the suspect to the party. The suspect was in town for a sporting event. The person who invited him to campus added that he was unclear of what hotel the individual was staying in.

Two witnesses told police that they saw the suspect leaving the fraternity house nervously and they recall the suspect saying “someone is passed out upstairs and you should check on them”.

According to Weaver there are several witnesses who were present at the party and more interviews are currently under way for all of these witnesses.

Weaver said the victims in each case have been given complete guidance for further action.

Weaver also gave students suggestions to protect themselves. “Female students should take more caution when attending a party that could lead to a binge drinking. In a situation where a student is intoxicated, the occurrence of rape is far more pronounced in these situations.”

Weaver said students need to pay special attention to their drinks while at parties. “In the growing concern of date rape, I encourage students to be wary of drinks that are offered by other people and always open containers yourself. Make sure to keep your drink at all times even when you go to the bathroom. Avoid drinks that tastes or smell strange and always avoid drinking from open containers,” Weaver said.