Last Thursday morning, Duke students woke up to a Duke Alert saying that a fellow student had reported being raped by a knife-wielding man in a Central Campus common room.
A week later, little information has been released about the ongoing investigation. Administrators said that security has been ramped up on Central Campus, and that there is no evidence that entry into the common room—which is typically equipped with a passcode-protected lock—was forced.
“The investigation, which is being led by the Duke University Police Department, is ongoing,” wrote Kristen Brown, associate vice president for news, communications and media, in an email to The Chronicle Wednesday afternoon. “At this point, there is no indication of forced entry. The security presence in and surrounding Central Campus has been increased, and efforts will continue to enhance safety.”
On Dec. 13, the Duke student reported being sexually assaulted in a Central Campus common room on Pace Street between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. A Duke Alert sent out at 5:21 a.m. said that the student was sleeping when a white male with short brown hair entered the room, threatened her with a knife and sexually assaulted her.
In response to questions about whether DUPD knows if the perpetrator is affiliated with Duke or if there is security footage of the building, Brown declined to comment and DUPD Chief John Dailey did not respond to a request for comment.
The University has implemented some security changes in response to the assault. Sue Wasiolek, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, wrote last Thursday that there would be increased security personnel on Central, and Joe Gonzalez—assistant vice president of student affairs and dean for residential life—told The Chronicle that the access codes for Central Campus common rooms would also be changed.
Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote in an email to students Thursday morning that Duke is planning to introduce additional safety measures on Central, which is set to stop housing undergraduates at the end of the school year.
"In addition to writing to wish you well, I just want to assure you that many of us are examining all the safety and security options for Central Campus and will be introducing a variety of interventions prior to your return," he wrote.
No more information has been released about the alleged perpetrator since Dec. 13, when Wasiolek wrote in an email to students that the man was reported to be around 25 years old.
"We’ve heard from many of you and your families with expressions of concern about safety on Central Campus and want to assure you that we hear you and care," Moneta wrote in his email to students. "Nothing is more important [than] your safety."
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