Days after a 20-year-old woman told police she was assaulted on Feb. 24 inside a Grand Rapids Community College parking ramp, campus police reviewed security footage and say they have found inconsistencies with her story.
The victim said she was walking up Library Place and approaching Fountain Street when the suspect was walking toward her. She said what started as a brief introduction turned into a threatening situation. The woman told police that the man threatened to kill her if she didn’t comply. While no weapon was in sight, the woman said she didn’t question him and followed him toward Ramp A.
When GRCC police gained access to the Grand Rapids Public Library’s security cameras on Monday, Feb. 26, they found that there were some inconsistencies between what the alleged victim told them during her interview and what they could see on the video.
The alleged attack was initially reported to the Grand Rapids Police Department and GRCC Police were advised at about 1:25 p.m. Saturday. GRCC police subsequently took over the investigation after it was determined that the incident occurred on the GRCC campus.
A brief description of the suspect was given to GRCC Police stating the man was approximately 40 years old, with facial hair, and wearing a black hat and tan jacket. Police believed the suspect was walking north of the Grand Rapids Public Library, possibly on GRCC’s campus.
While on the Juan Olivarez Plaza, GRCC Police had witnessed a subject walking south of Fountain Street Church but was no longer visible from campus.
Before it was known that the alleged attack occurred on campus, GRCC Police contacted GRCC Clery specialist Robin Graves and asked if a timely warning needed to be put out. She advised that no timely warning was necessary due to the lack of information.
“A timely warning is required by Clery if a Clery reportable crime happens on our Clery reportable geography,” said GRCC Police Chief Rebecca Whitman.
According to The Clery Center, the Clery Act is a “ law that aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and statistics.”
At around 2 p.m. it was discovered that the alleged assult took place on campus. At 4:16 p.m. a GRCC alert was sent to the campus community, stating, “GRCC Police are investigating a sexual assault that took place between 1 and 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the elevator stairwell of Parking Ramp A,” along with a brief description of the suspect.
When asked about the two-hour delay between the warning and when police had the information, Whitman said “That’s not unusual. They have to determine what the facts are, what happened, and then at that point, they’ll begin the process of writing the timely warning and then sending it out. Two hours for a timely warning is probably faster than most.”
Police met with the alleged victim who is not affiliated with GRCC. She explained that she took a DASH bus to the public library and was walking on Library Place and when the suspect approached her.
On Monday, Feb. 26, GRCC Police met with a Grand Rapids Public Library employee to review security video of the two individuals. According to the video, the woman walked up two steps to the front of the library and stopped for about 30 seconds. She then can be seen walking down the steps and initiating a conversation with the suspect.
The two started to walk eastbound on the sidewalk when the victim started to make a hand gesture and eventually stopped and started to walk west. While walking together, the footage shows the suspect giving the woman something in a hand-to-hand exchange and then walking out of the camera’s view
Reporting Officer Thomas Stasiak stated in his report, “In watching this footage it creates multiple inconsistencies with (the victim’s) statements made on 02.24.2024.”
GRCC Police reached back out to the victim to gather more information, but she told police she’s currently in Detroit and won’t be back in Grand Rapids for about a month. As of March 1, the investigation was still ongoing and no suspect has been identified.
Faculty and staff received an email from GRCC President Charles Lepper on Feb. 26 regarding the incident and a similar email was expected to be sent out to students prior to their return from spring break or on Monday, March 4.
“Incidents like the one that was reported on Saturday are exceedingly rare on our campus,” Lepper stated in his email to faculty and staff. “However, I understand that these occurrences may be triggering, and may create feelings of fear or uncertainty. Consequently, I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate that support and resources are readily available through the College for all employees who may need them. These available resources include confidential counseling through GRCC’s Employee Assistance Program, as well as additional support and assistance from GRCC’s Title IX Office.”
GRCC Police are encouraging students and staff to utilize the GRCC Police Safe Walk service, travel in groups when possible, walk in well-lit areas, and be aware of their surroundings. They also ask that anyone who has additional information relating to this incident contact GRCC Police at (616) 234-4911.
