Officials looking for man who broke into locked dorm, groped sleeping PLU students
A man broke into a locked dorm building at Pacific Lutheran University early Sunday morning and groped female students while they were sleeping, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
The man entered two different dorm rooms and stood over the students, spokesman Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. said Sunday in an email.
“He woke them by groping them and then ran away,” he said.
Following the two incidents, one of the victims saw the man in a nearby parking lot and chased after him, spraying him with pepper spray, Moss said.
She also took a photo of the man, which was released to The News Tribune. The New Tribune typically does not identify suspects before they appear in court.
The photo shows what appears to be a heavy set man, wearing a dark plaid button-down shirt over a white T-shirt. He also has brown hair and a beard but with no mustache. He was wearing glasses in the photo.
The Sheriff’s Department is still working to identify the man.
“Deputies are working with campus security to obtain all footage, and forensics responded to process several places for possible fingerprints,” Moss said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 253-798-7530 or Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County at 800-222-8477.
This story was originally published May 14, 2023 at 2:14 PM.
