Aggravated Assault

Published

Incident description: A USC student was walking eastbound on Exposition Boulevard near Bill Robertson Lane when an unhoused male approached her and struck her on the back of the head. The student continued walking eastbound on Exposition Boulevard and onto campus. The suspect then left the area for about 10 minutes. When he returned, he went to the corner of Exposition Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, where he assaulted a community member waiting at the bus stop. Other community members witnessed the assault and intervened.

Incident Resolution: After committing the assaults, the suspect ran onto campus where he was immediately apprehended by the USC Department of Public Safety. The suspect is now in the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department.

DATE & TIME OF OCCURRENCE: 02/03/2022 8:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Exposition Boulevard and Vermont Avenue

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: None

SUSPECT DESCRIPTION (provided by reporting party):

A description of the suspect was not provided.

If you are in immediate DANGER, call the Los Angeles Police Department at 911 or the USC Department of Public Safety at (213) 740-4321.

Please note that race, ethnicity, gender and/or religious affiliation are NOT considered the basis for suspicion; only behaviors are considered suspicious.

If you have information relevant to the crime(s) reflected in this alert, immediately call DPS at (213) 740-6000 for the University Park Campus (UPC), (323) 442-1000 for the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) or (213) 485-6571 for the LAPD Southwest Division.

The purpose of this warning is to aid in the prevention of similar crimes by alerting the community about the incident and to provide information which allows individuals to make informed decisions about their personal safety.

USC Department of Public Safety Recommendations – Aggravated Assault

  • If you are assaulted, immediately go to a safe location and report the crime to law enforcement. For the University Park Campus (UPC) call DPS emergency at (213) 740-4321, for the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) call (323) 442-1000 or call the Los Angeles Police Department at 911.
  • If you observe an assault in progress, STAY CALM AND CALL DPS emergency for UPC at (213) 740-4321, for HSC call (323) 442- 1000 or the LAPD at 911. Do not attempt to apprehend any suspects or perpetrators of crime. Your personal safety and the safety of others around you should be your primary concern.
  • Not every person you meet has good intentions. Be cautious of strangers, and keep a safe distance. There is safety in numbers, so travel with friends.
  • Avoid using cell phones or other technology while walking as criminals target distracted, inattentive individuals using them.
  • Be a good witness: It is important to recall what you observed and provide as many details as possible to law enforcement such as: the sex, race, age, height, hair color, clothing, tattoos, scars of any suspects and a description of the make and model of any vehicle used in the crime and its license plate if possible.
  • Do not attempt to apprehend any suspects or perpetrators of crime.

Other options to contact DPS, to report crime, ask for help and to receive information:

  • Blue light emergency phones are located throughout UPC and HSC. The phones are connected to the USC DPS’ 24-hour communications center and identify the phone location if the caller is unable to speak. The phones can be used to request help, an escort, report suspicious activity and to report crimes. For more information visit: Emergency Blue Light Phones | Department of Public Safety | USC.
  • Security Ambassadors : In addition to DPS officers who patrol a 2.5 mile radius around USC’s campuses, USC contracts with “Security Ambassadors” to patrol street corners in nearby neighborhoods and to observe and report crime and suspicious activity. This security force wears bright yellow jackets so you can easily spot them. If you need assistance, look for a Security Ambassador.
  • Get a Ride: Lyft is now available at HSC and UPC to cover shared rides. Lyft at UPC is open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Lyft at HSC is open from 5 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday only. Please visit the USC Lyft page for more information: https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/campus-cruiser-program/how-to-use-lyft/
  • Verify your driver and car: Once you have requested a Lyft ride, you can view the driver’s rating. When your ride arrives, make sure the driver’s photo, license plate number and vehicle description match. Never take a ride you did not request or get into a car that doesn’t match the details provided by the Lyft app.
  • Go the extra mile : The Lyft app’s “share your ETA” function allows you to invite friends to see your trip in real-time. The app will draft a text message you can share with friends that includes your ETA and a link to a live map that allows them to track your trip. Too much effort? Call a friend and stay on the line while you’re in the car instead.
  • LiveSafe APP: To quickly make emergency push button calls to DPS or 911 on your mobile phone, download the Trojan Mobile Safety APP “LIVESAFE” from Google Play or the Apple iTunes Store. For more information regarding LIVESAFE visit https://dps.usc.edu/services/safety-app/.
  • TrojansAlert: Register for USC’s emergency notification system TrojansAlert to allow university officials to contact you during an emergency by sending messages via text message and email. For more information visit: http://dps.usc.edu/services/trojans-alerts/. (Please note that students, staff and faculty automatically are signed up for TrojansAlerts.)