U Of I To Hold Live Streaming Town Hall On Crime
UPDATED 11/12/10 10:10 a.m.
CHICAGO (WBBM/CBS) - The University of Illinois is taking action to deal with a recent upsurge in crime in and around the Urbana-Champaign campus.
LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Bernie Tafoya Reports
Podcast
Parents and students are invited to a town hall meeting at the U of I campus on Saturday to discuss student safety and the spike in crime.
The university's police chief, director of housing, dean of students and others will talk about the security measures taken in the last few days.
On Monday, a female student was showering in the fourth-floor restroom at Forbes Hall, at 101 E. Gregory Dr. in Champaign, when she was attacked. The victim screamed and tried to fight off her attacker, and she was hit in the head during the struggle.
The suspect fled down a stairwell in the dorm and has not been seen since.
He is described as a black male between the ages of 40 and 50, standing 5 feet 11 tall and weighing 150 pounds, with a medium build and salt-and-pepper hair. He was last seen wearing black shoes and a gray jacket, and some witnesses said he appeared to be homeless.
Meanwhile, the men who have been assaulted have typically been walking alone. Some were on campus and others were not.
Seven peeping tom incidents have been reported at the school since Jan. 1. The most recent was just this past Tuesday at 2:20 p.m., when a man was caught using a cell phone trying to videotape a girl showering. The incident happened at the Allen Hall dormitory, at 1005 W. Gregory Dr. in Urbana.
Police do not believe the peeping tom incidents are related to the attack on Monday.
The town hall is set for 3 p.m. Saturday in the Courtyard Cafe in the Illini Union, at 1401 W. Green St. in Urbana.
Parents who can't make it to the town hall tomorrow can catch it on the Web at
http://illinois.edu/here_now/videos.html and may even phone in questions during the meeting at 217-244-8938.
The town hall will be archived on the Web for people to view at their convenience.
