Man accused of breaking into dorm, groping students at PLU is in custody, police say
A man accused of breaking into a dorm at Pacific Lutheran University Sunday morning and groping female students has been arrested, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said in an update about the incident.
The man was arrested by Tacoma police, who were acting on a tip. They took the man into custody at Sixth Avenue and Jackson Avenue Sunday afternoon, said Sgt. Darren Moss Jr., a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department.
About 4:15 a.m. Sunday, a female student at PLU woke up and saw someone standing in the room watching her and her roommate sleep, according to Moss.
“She got up and checked her closet and a man grabbed her so she started hitting him and yelling for him to get out,” said Moss in an email.
About 5:30 a.m., the two women left the dorm when they heard screaming.
“They saw the suspect leaving the dorm so they called 911 and followed him,” Moss said. “When they rounded the corner, the roommate of the victim was hit with a shoe by the suspect. She pepper sprayed him and backed away.”
The two then followed the man but lost sight of him at a nearby apartment complex.
After deputies arrived they learned more about the woman who was heard screaming at 5:30 a.m.
“The woman said she woke up to the suspect groping her,” Moss said. “She got up and yelled at the suspect and he fled.”
