Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault and rape. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, call Wellness and Prevention Services at 828-262-3148 or the OASIS hotline at 828-262-5035.
This is a developing story.
Last updated as of 9:12 p.m. Monday.
According to the App State Police incident report, the alleged crime reported on Wednesday night is described as rape and classified as a forcible sex offense.
Anna Oakes, senior director of public relations for University Communications, wrote in an email that App State Police are actively conducting an ongoing investigation, and App State Police increased security measures in residence halls. Residence halls are equipped with security cameras, and key cards are required for entry, according to Oakes. Cards only grant access to residents of their assigned residence hall.
According to Oakes, App State is providing resources to those who reported and were impacted by the incident.
“The university will continue to take actions to maintain the safety and security of the campus community,” Oakes wrote.
App State police reviewed security camera footage and interviewed people to advance the investigation, according to Oakes. Anybody with information regarding the crime is encouraged to call App State Police at 828-262-8000 and can report crimes anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 828-268-6959.
“We encourage students, faculty and staff to call App State Police if they have any safety concerns, even if they aren’t sure about how serious they are,” Oakes wrote. “The Appalachian State University Police Department is staffed by sworn peace officers with full law enforcement authority as well as an array of safety, education and counseling programs. Anyone can call them any time. It takes App State Police an average of 1-3 minutes to respond to any call on university property.”
Because the investigation is currently ongoing, Oakes wrote that there is limited information to share. Crime statistics, policy statements for safety and security measures, campus crime prevention program descriptions and investigation and prosecution procedures for alleged sex offenders are required to be published by law by App State in an Annual Campus Safety Report with data from the last three years. The report is published every year by Oct. 1.
Additionally, crime logs can be accessed on the App State Police website.
“App State will notify the campus community upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurring on the campus that involves a threat to the health or safety of students or employees,” Oakes wrote. “We do this so members of our university community can make informed decisions about their safety.”
These alerts follow the criteria dictated by the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, also referred to as the Clery Safety Act or Clery Act. More information about these criteria can be found on the App State Police website.
Wednesday:
App State Police issued an alert at 9:17 p.m. Wednesday surrounding the investigation of an alleged incident of “sexual assault, specifically rape,” in Frank Residence Hall.
The incident was reported to App State Police on Wednesday at 10:07 a.m., according to the App State Police Crime and Fire Log.
According to the alert, “the suspect is unknown, and no suspect description is available at this time.”
The university is currently operating under normal conditions and “there is no emergency information.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call App State Police at 828-262-8000 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 828-268-6959.
“The university is providing resources to assist the victim, the individuals who reported this incident, and those impacted by this incident,” the alert reads. “The University will continue to take actions to maintain the safety and security of the campus community.”
App State Police is required by law to notify the campus community if the crime committed “involves a threat to the health or safety of students or employees,” and has a specific procedure for reporting sexual assault.
For additional resources, App Cares offers hotlines and assistance.
