MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Gardens Police confirmed that a person of interest was identified and taken in for questioning in connection to an alarming attack at a South Florida university.
The announcement came hours after Florida Memorial University stepped up security in the wake of reports of a sexual battery on campus.
The incident unsettled those living nearby the campus, and put a nearby neighborhood on high alert.
Myya Passmore, who lives near FMU, said that, based on a police description of the attacker, she believed she had seen the attacker wandering around her neighborhood in recent weeks.
“I saw this individual a few times, that just, the suspicion of his behavior, and just staring, he’d walk up until this point and come down,” said Passmore. “It’s important for police to patrol this area.”
Police described the suspect as a man standing approximately 6 feet tall, with a medium complexion, last seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants.
Following reports of the incident, which occurred early Sunday morning, students who spoke to 7News on Tuesday expressed concerns about security.
“The girls are uncomfortable, a lot of girls are uncomfortable,” said Tiani, a FMU student. “That’s pretty fast, if it just happened the other day, that’s pretty fast.”
In a video sent to 7News by an FMU student, a man can be seen entering a girl’s dorm, without having to use the scanner next to the door, and just pulling open the unlocked door.
“People are able to come into buildings easily, come into campus easily, and it really makes me nervous for the safety of the campus,” said the student.
The student didn’t want to go on camera, but told 7News that security has become a real concern on campus.
“Yes, very, I’ve always thought about that, I feel that they don’t take our safety very seriously on campus, it’s very easy for non-students,” said the FMU student.
Campus officials responded on Tuesday with a list of steps they are taking to make FMU’s campus safer.
7News reached out to FMU for a response to the video, and while officials didn’t directly address it, the president of the university sent a plan for heightened security that includes:
- increased visibility of campus safety officers
- expanding coordinated patrols with the Miami Gardens Police Department
- deployment of additional personnel to monitor entrances and support identification verification
- lighting upgrades across campus
- the repositioning of their security robotic system to expand patrols
Tiani said that the new security measures should have been put in place earlier.
“They shouldn’t have to wait until somebody, has to get, you know, [sexually assaulted] on campus,” said Tiani.
No arrests or charges have been made at this time.
“Our department remains fully committed to this investigation. We will continue our efforts until this offender is identified and taken into custody,” said Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma K. Noel-Pratt during a news conference on Monday evening.
Officials said the investigation is currently ongoing.
If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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