STILLWATER — An Oklahoma State University residence hall where a student was reportedly raped over the weekend by a stranger will remain on 24-hour lockdown for the foreseeable future, authorities said Monday.
“We are deeply disturbed by this terrible incident and are diligently investigating,” Marlene Strathe, interim OSU president, said in a written statement.
“We encourage anyone who might have information that would help with the investigation to come forward. Our thoughts and concerns are with our student and her family at this time,” Strathe said.
The student said that a white man in his early 20s of average build broke into her residence at Bennett Hall and raped her sometime between midnight Saturday and 12:30 a.m. Sunday, OSU Director of Communications Gary Shutt said Monday.
The student said that she did not know her assailant, Shutt said. He did not use a weapon in the attack, which was reported to OSU police by the victim’s family at 11:09 a.m. Sunday, Shutt said.
No one has been arrested in the rape, which was the first one reported to campus police this year, OSU Assistant Director of Communications Carrie Hulsey-Greene said Monday.
Bennett Hall, which houses both males and females, has 628 residents, Hulsey-Greene said.
It is unknown how the assailant gained access to Bennett Hall, where the doors were normally locked at 11 p.m., Hulsey-Greene said. After that hour, entry was by card access, Shutt said.
“There’s no way for us to know if he’s a student, if he’s a resident,” Hulsey-Greene said.
Bennett Hall was put on 24-hour lockdown Sunday afternoon, after the rape was reported to campus police, Shutt said. Now, people can gain entry to Bennett Hall only by card access, Shutt said.
Flyers were posted in the residence halls notifying people that a rape had been reported on campus, Shutt said.
“This is a community of 30,000 people,” at OSU, Shutt said.
“We have e-mail for the entire student body, faculty and staff,” Shutt said.
An e-mail labeled “safety alert” was sent to all 30,000 people Sunday afternoon warning them that a rape on campus had been reported, Shutt said.
“OSU has one of the safest campuses in the Big 12. We feel this is a random incident.
“We’ll continue to do everything to make it as safe as possible,” Shutt said.
Since the rape was reported, staff in the residence halls have been doing more “walk-arounds,” and OSU police patrols have been increased, Shutt said.
Shutt declined to release on what floor of Bennett Hall the rape was reported to have occurred. He also declined to release the victim’s age or classification.
“She went to the hospital yesterday (Sunday) and is recovering,” Shutt said. He said that he did not know if she would continue to attend OSU or had left school.
When asked if anyone heard screams from her residence, Shutt declined to comment and said “that is part of the investigation.”
No rapes were reported to OSU police as having occurred on campus last year, Hulsey-Greene said.
“In 2006, a rape was reported to have occurred in 2004,” but there was inadequate evidence to prosecute, Hulsey-Greene said.
“At all times, we encourage our students and everybody to take precautions, to know your surroundings,” Shutt said.
“We are encouraging students and everyone on campus to be extra cautious,” Shutt said.
Anyone with information regarding the incident in Bennett Hall should call OSU police at (405) 744-6523, Shutt said.
