This week in Campus Safety news: A PLU Alert was issued when a visitor with dementia wandered away from campus, a bike thief was aggressive towards safety officers, and several fire alarms went off in upper-campus residence halls. Explore our interactive incident map to learn more.
10/16 Missing Person Alert
Reported Location: Scandinavian Cultural Center at the Anderson University Center
Found Location: 116th St S & Ainsworth Ave S
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers assisted in attempting to locate and elderly man with dementia after he wandered away from his wife while they were visiting the Scandinavian Cultural Center at the Anderson University Center. His wife called the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department for assistance after he had been missing for almost an hour. At 1:43 PM, Campus Safety sent a PLU Alert message to the PLU community, requesting assistance with the search. The man was seen by a student on 116th St S and Ainsworth Ave S. Campus Safety officers responded to the area and provided a courtesy shuttle escort back to campus. The PLU Alert was cancelled at 2:02 PM.
10/16 Library Bike Theft
Date: Monday, October 16, 2017 at 11:15 PM
Location: Bicycle rack outside the Mortvedt Library
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers discovered the theft of two bicycle tires from a student’s bike on the rack outside the Mortvedt Library. Officers attempted to contact an individual with a similar description to that of the suspect seen on security camera footage carrying two bike tires. The individual became aggressive and fled the area.
10/16 Hinderlie Fire Alarm
Date: Monday, October 16, 2017 at 8:31 PM
Location: Hinderlie Residence Hall
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers responded to an automatic fire alarm at Hinderlie Residence Hall. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Engine 61 also responded. The room that was the source of the trigger was searched. Officers smelled burnt popcorn and a bag of popcorn was found in the room. The resident was contacted and urged to take care when cooking popcorn in the future. Additionally, the resident of another room failed to evacuate when the alarm sounded, claiming that she was in a deep-enough sleep that she did not hear the alarm. The alarm system was reset before officers and firefighters cleared the scene.
10/17 Kreidler Fire Alarm
Date: Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 5:15 AM
Location: Kreidler Residence Hall
Synopsis:Â Campus Safety officers and Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Engine 61 responded to an automatic fire alarm activation at Kreidler Residence Hall. No cause for the alarm could be found in the room that was the source of the trigger. The system was reset before officers and firefighters cleared the scene.
Update: The Mast received unconfirmed additional information indicating that this alarm was activated twice within a one-hour period, and that the initial cause of the alarm may have been due to a student sanding in their room.
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.
