This busy week in Campus Safety news: Students were assaulted while crossing the street to campus, several medical aid incidents occurred across campus, and PLU went into lockdown when two people were shot on Garfield Street. Explore our interactive incident map to learn more.
11/14 124th St Aggravated Assault
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 8:19 PM
Location: 124th Street South, near the Swimming Pool
Synopsis: Campus Safety officers and Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an assault that occurred on 124th St S near the swimming pool. Three students had been crossing the street when a driver swerved at them. The students responded to the near-miss and the driver stopped his vehicle in the middle of the road, got out of his vehicle, and verbally confronted them, punched one of them, and pulled out a handgun. The suspect then fled the area in his vehicle. There were only minor injuries reported from the assault. Campus Safety officers gathered security camera video footage and provided it to Sheriff’s deputies as evidence for the investigation. A campus-wide email alert was sent to the campus community at 11:15 PM by Campus Safety regarding the incident.
11/14 125th St Harassment
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 at 9:24 PM
Location: Intersection of 125th Street South and Yakima Avenue South (Originally reported as the interesection of 125th Street South and Park Avenue South).
Synopsis:Â A student reported to Campus Safety a confrontation he had with two unknown males that occurred on 125th St S the day prior. The student reported that after honking his horn at a vehicle that failed to yield to him at the intersection of 125th and Yakima Ave, two occupants stopped, exited the vehicle, and began yelling at him. They then left the area. The student declined additional assistance from Campus Safety or the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Campus Safety reviewed and archived security camera video footage of the incident.
11/14 Library Bike Theft
Location: Bicycle rack outside of the Mortvedt Library
Synopsis:Â A community member reported that his bike had been stolen from outside the main entrance of the Mortvedt Library, where he had left the bike unlocked. Security camera video footage was reviewed, however no suspects were seen.
11/15 KHPC Medical Aid
Location: Karen Hille Phillips Center, Floor 2
Synopsis: A faculty member was evaluated by Central Pierce Fire & Rescue for chest pain. Emergency transport was not required but they were taken to a hospital by another faculty member.
11/16 Pump House Attempted Burglary
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 11:00 AM
Location: South Campus Irrigation Pump House, South of the Athletic Track
Synopsis:Â The lock on the pump house was damaged when unknown persons attempted to break the lock. Nothing was missing from the pump house according to Facilities Management staff. There is no suspect information at this time.
11/16 Pflueger Medical Aid
Location: Pflueger Residence Hall, Main Lobby
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers and Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a medical aid in Pflueger Residence Hall for a student who was having difficulty breathing. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue was called and Emergency Medical Technicians transported the student to Madigan Army Medical Center.
11/16 Olson Lot Vehicle Collision
Location: Olson Parking Lot
Synopsis:Â A student reported to Campus Safety that her vehicle had hit another vehicle that was parked in the Olson Parking Lot. Campus Safety officers documented the incident and assisted in facilitating the exchange of information between the driver and the owner of the parked vehicle, who was another student.
11/16 UC Lot Vehicle Prowl
Location: University Center Parking Lot
Synopsis:Â At 4:22 PM, a PLU staff member reported to Campus Safety that his vehicle had been prowled while parked in the University Center parking lot. The staff member reported that a gym bag and its contents were taken. Security camera video footage of the incident was found and provided to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Video footage shows an unidentified black male taking items from the vehicle and then leaving the area in a white Honda Accord onto 123rd St S at 2:52 PM.
11/16 Olson Medical Aid
Location: Olson Gymnasium Fieldhouse
Synopsis:Â While providing a routine escort, Campus Safety officers discovered that a student had injured her wrist while playing intramural sports in the Olson Gymnasium Fieldhouse. Officers provided a cold pack for the injury. The student arranged to have a parent transport her to the hospital and declined further assistance from officers or to call Central Pierce Fire & Rescue.
11/16 Ingram Theft
Location: Ingram Hall, Faculty Office Suite
Synopsis:Â A custodian reported that his vaporizer was stolen from a table while he was working in Ingram Hall.
11/17 Rieke Medical Aid
Location: Rieke Science Center, Eastern Central Stairs
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers responded to Rieke Science Center where a student had fallen down the stairs and twisted their ankle. The student declined Central Pierce Fire & Rescue and was provided a cold pack and an elastic bandage from officers. The student was then escorted to their vehicle, where a parent was waiting to transport them to an Urgent Care department.
11/17 Hong Marijuana Violation
Location: Hong Residence Hall
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers assisted the Hong Residence Hall on-duty Resident Assistant with an odor of marijuana investigation. The Resident Assistant contacted the suspected resident student, who advised that a friend was smoking in the room. Marijuana was in open view inside the room. The marijuana was disposed of according to PLU policy. This incident has been forwarded to PLU Student Rights & Responsibilities.
11/18 Pflueger Marijuana Investigation
Location: Pflueger Residence Hall
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers observed several students smoking late at night on the sidewalk. As the officers passed by, they could smell marijuana. The students were later contacted in their residence hall for a marijuana violation investigation. The outcome of this investigation was not provided in the report from Campus Safety. This incident has been forwarded to PLU Rights & Responsibilities.
11/18 STAY-IN-PLACE ALERT: Shots Fired
Location: Campus-wide alert for an incident occurring near Paradise Lanes Entertainment Center
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety issued a campus-wide Stay-in-Place alert when Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a shots-fired call in the parking lot of Paradise Lanes bowling alley located at 12505 Pacific Ave S, where a suspect was reportedly firing a gun into the air and running northbound on Pacific Ave S, towards campus. The Stay-in-Place was lifted at 7:07 PM, after deputies apprehended the shooter near 122nd St S and Pacific Ave S.
11/18 Yakima Lot Vehicle Prowl
Location: Yakima Parking Lot, North side
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety was notified by a student that their vehicle had been broken into while parked in the Yakima Parking Lot. The student stated they would file a report with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. No suspect information was available and no security camera video footage of the theft was found.
11/19 Tingelstad Alcohol Violation
Location: Tingelstad Residence Hall
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers responded to assist the Tingelstad on-duty Resident Assistant with an alcohol policy violation response. The Resident Assistant had observed alcohol in a resident’s room with its door open as they passed by in the hallway. Alcohol was confiscated and disposed off in accordance with PLU policy. This incident has been forwarded to PLU Student Rights & Responsibilities.
11/19 LOCKDOWN: Off-Campus Active Shooter
Location:Â Campus-wide alert for an incident in the 500-block of Garfield Street South
Description:Â Campus Safety issued a campus-wide Lockdown alert at 2:08 AM after Campus Safety officers heard gunshots fired in the 500-block of Garfield St S, near Park Ave S. Campus Safety notified Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies working for PLU, who responded to the incident and found two gunshot victims. During this time, multiple people called 911 to report shots fired. Campus Safety sent an additional PLU Alert message at 2:16 AM with additional information about the incident in-progress. Once it was determined that the suspects had left the area, the Lockdown was lifted at 2:38 AM. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Paramedics responded to treat the victims and promptly transport them to the hospital. Sheriff’s Department investigators also responded to the incident. No PLU community members were directly involved in this incident, although stray bullets went through the window of a student’s off-campus house. The Dean of Students reached out to care for students indirectly affected by the incident. At 4:04 PM, the Office of the President sent an email alert on behalf of Campus Safety to the campus community describing this incident along with the stay-in-place incident earlier during the evening.
11/19 Nesvig Alcohol Violation & RFC
Location: Nesvig Parking Lot
Synopsis:Â Two non-students were contacted by Campus Safety officers in the Nesvig Parking Lot for public intoxication on PLU property. Officers issued Restricted From Campus notices to them.
Incident data is provided to Mast Media by the PLU Department of Campus Safety. Specific information requests should be directed to campussafety@plu.edu. Campus Safety does not publish reports on false activations of fire, intrusion, or panic alarms. Incident synopses are edited by Mast Media for clarity and privacy purposes.
