Repeat offender arrested for alleged assault, attempted rape on Johns Hopkins campus

A 31-year-old repeat offender was arrested in connection with an attempted rape on the campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, police announced on Wednesday.

Police said Raymond Willis Lunn was taken into custody on Tuesday evening. He is facing charges of assault and attempted rape.

He was ordered to be held without bond during a court hearing Friday. 

Lunn, who is a registered sex offender, has an extensive criminal history for multiple crimes, including prior convictions for armed robbery, attempted rape, kidnapping, assault, burglary, and auto theft, according to police. 

Baltimore Police said Lunn is a repeat violent offender who has served multiple prison sentences.

"The swift response, including a release of an image by our security cameras and a thorough investigation by both the BPD and our police and public safety officers, reflects the strong partnership we share to value this collaboration and the deep commitment to our community and keeping our city safe," said Branville Bard, with the Johns Hopkins Police Department.

The alleged assault, attempted rape

Police responded to the campus around 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, on Wyman Park Drive at the Decker Quad near the Hopkins Office of Institutional Equity building.

The Baltimore Police Department shared an image from surveillance footage of the person of interest.

Colonel Jack Herzog, with the Baltimore Police Department, said Lunn was identified through a tip that "proved to be invaluable." He was arrested in Baltimore County on Harford Road in Parkville.

"We want to thank those who came forward with information to help solve this case, and Metro Crime Stoppers, who works closely with us to get images out of the suspect," Herzog said.

Police are asking any potential victims or anyone with more information to call police at 410-396-2076.

"Our top priority remains the safety of our residents, and ensuring that those responsible for violent crimes are brought to justice," Herzog said.

Students are concerned about safety

Some students told WJZ they are surprised such a violent attack happened within the campus grounds, but are thankful the suspect is behind bars.

In the wake of last weekend's incident, some students are calling for continued police presence at the university, with some even asking for more patrols at night.

"It was obviously pretty scary, just considering that we walk through here all the time," said Reese Benford, a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University. "I think obviously just a little bit more of surveillance at night."

Ted Chor, a senior at Johns Hopkins, said he became concerned after receiving a security alert Saturday night on campus.

"We get a lot of those, and so they're usually like happening peripherally around campus," Chor said. "I was pretty surprised that something like this happened on campus."

A Johns Hopkins University spokesperson told WJZ the university is bolstering its security presence on campus, including Johns Hopkins Police, Baltimore City Police, and private security.

This has led to significant protests of the university's police department over the last few years. Following last weekend's incident, some students told WJZ they believe police and security are necessary.

"The amount of police that's been here has felt appropriate. I heard of those protests that were going on, and I was kind of more on the supporting side of having police as just a student who feels a little bit safer when I see security guards on campus," said Laurel Gonzalez, a Johns Hopkins University sophomore.

Other students said they hope the community and police force can continue working together to improve the dynamic between them.

"I hope that the relationships between the community and the police can improve, and people can see that the police can be trained and understand the values of the community and uphold them," Chor continued.

Johns Hopkins sent a letter to the community saying that security ramped up with officers from the Baltimore Police Department, Johns Hopkins Police Department, and security firm Allied Universal.

"Anytime an incident like this happens, our focus immediately turns to apprehending the suspect and then supporting victims and helping the community return to normalcy," Bard said. "Right now, we are going to focus on helping the community return to a sense of normalcy."

Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels said campus safety is a priority, while crediting the response from local law enforcement.

"We are deeply distressed that an attack like this would happen on our campus," Daniels said. "The safety of our community is a paramount commitment. We appreciate and value the collaborative partnership that BPD and the Johns Hopkins Police Department have forged with one another and the way in which it brought this investigation to a quick conclusion. I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Branville Bard and the entire Johns Hopkins Public Safety organization for their investigative work and commitment to keeping our community safe, and to our Student Affairs team for their round-the-clock efforts to provide support in this difficult moment."