Temple Police and Philadelphia Special Victims Unit are reviewing security camera footage from 15th Street between Oxford and Jefferson streets, where a female student was sexually assaulted around 2 a.m. Sunday morning, police said.
There was no forced entry or break-in into the private residence where the student was sexually assaulted, Charlie Leone, the executive director of Campus Safety Services, wrote in an email. He can’t add more details because police are still investigating the incident, he wrote.
Police are also following up on tips received by Temple Police and Temple’s Title IX anonymous reporting database, Leone added.
“I cannot thank those enough who have submitted tips,” Leone wrote. “We are encouraging anyone with information to please continue letting us know.”
A notice was sent to the Temple community via email on Sunday, stating that the student was sexually assaulted around 2 a.m. Sunday morning and asking for any information about the offender.
Temple Police sent out the email notice about the sexual assault to students because TUPD has not yet been able to identify the suspect, officials told The Temple News.
It is not common practice for Temple Police to send out emails about sexual assaults.
“In other incidents this semester, police were able to identify the offender early on,” university spokesman Brandon Lausch wrote in an email. “In this instance, the message was sent because police are seeking any additional information to help identify the subject.”
The email described the offender as a Black male in his mid-20s between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall. He had a dark, full beard, short hair and wore a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans.
Temple’s Title IX Coordinator Andrea Seiss wrote in an email that she cannot discuss specific cases of sexual assault complaints, but her office supports survivors by offering Temple’s resources.
“We encourage survivors, friends and/or witnesses to report incidents of sexual misconduct in whatever way that they are most comfortable, including through the use of the new online anonymous reporting system,” Seiss wrote. “We ask the public’s assistance in sharing any information that could help in identifying the suspect in this incident.”
Anyone who has information is encouraged to call Temple Police at 215-204-1234 or Philadelphia Police at 215-686-8477. Individuals can also report information anonymously to Temple’s Title IX Coordinator Andrea Seiss through the Temple University Public Portal for Incident Reporting.
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