UF alerted the campus community late Saturday night regarding a reported rape that occurred at a residential hall Wednesday.
The notice didn’t mention which hall the rape occurred but stated the crime allegedly took place between midnight and 12:30 a.m. The alert stated the University Police Department is actively investigating the incident.
The victim claimed she was raped after she returned to her dorm room with the suspect after departing from “a local drinking establishment,” according to the report.
The suspect is a white/Hispanic male between the ages of 18 to 20, according to UF’s description. It describes him as 5 foot-6 and weighing about 160 pounds. He was last seen, according to the warning, leaving the scene of the sexual assault on the east side of campus wearing shorts and a baseball cap.
The suspect hasn’t yet been identified, but UPD will increase its patrols, according to the alert.
The alert was issued as a timely warning which UF uses to remain in compliance with the Clery Act, which requires universities to inform their communities about active threats to their safety.
The last time UF issued a timely warning regarding a sexual offense was Dec. 4, 2021. A man allegedly exposed his genitals at the Reitz Union on that day.
The last rape-specific warning issued by the university came in September of last year with the alert of the assaults allegedly committed by Antwine Johnson in areas near campus. Johnson allegedly battered a woman and forced her into his car on Southwest 23rd Street and raped another at Gainesville Place Apartments on Southwest 35th Place.
UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan reiterated that patrols were increased to enhance students’ sense of safety and the timely warning’s call for people with knowledge to come forward.
“We also encourage anyone who is a victim of violence to report it immediately and seek support,” she wrote in a statement.
The incident wasn’t reported to police until Saturday despite happening Wednesday, Roldan said. Roldan couldn’t name which residence hall the rape occurred in and which bar the victim had departed from.
UPD is asking anyone with information about the suspect to contact them. The department can be reached at 352-392-1111 or through its Silent Witness link. For anonymity, those with tips can also reach out to Crime Stoppers by calling 352-372-7867.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Omar at oateyah@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @OAteyah.
Omar Ateyah is a third-year journalism student and the Alligator's Race and Equity reporter. He previously served as the Alligator's crime reporter and as a news assistant on the Metro Desk. He enjoys going on long, thoughtful walks.
