The locks of all Wannamaker Dormitory bathrooms have been changed and all other dorm bathroom locks should follow this week, following an Oct. 16 incident in which a man waiting inside a second-floor Wannamaker bathroom reportedly attacked and sexually assaulted a female resident.
Officials said the new locks--specific to gender--mean more security than the current system, in which the residents of some dorms can use their keys to unlock all of the dorms' bathrooms, male and female. Students will now have two keys--one for their dorm room and one for their sex-specific bathroom.
Officials said the locks for all other West and East campus dormitory bathrooms were not completed over fall break because distribution of the new keys will be more efficient with all students back on campus. Other security measures are also being explored, including DukeCard access for bathrooms and a panic alarm system inside.
Police are still questioning residents and gathering information about Wednesday's incident. A description and composite sketch of the assailant have been widely distributed. The assailant was described as a white man, 18 to 25 years old, between 5'10" and 6' tall, with a stocky build and longish brown hair. He was wearing a red shirt and jeans.
"We continue to follow leads but there has not been an arrest," said Maj. Robert Dean of the Duke University Police Department.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.