"Stay vigilant": Can an indecent exposure incident escalate into something worse?
SACRAMENTO — It is currently graduation season and time to move out of Sac State for the summer, but amid all the foot traffic, a man is accused of exposing himself outside the Hornet Common Housing Complex.
"For something crazy like this to happen is just kind of shaking me to the core," said Sac State senior Jayla Erown.
Sacramento State police released two photos of the suspect that they said exposed himself outside the dorm on Thursday at around 9:15 p.m.
In the photos, you can see the suspect is a white man, possibly in his 50s, with grey facial hair, wearing a tropical-style short sleeve shirt over a blue t-shirt, a tan color cap and riding a black mountain bike.
"It is scary because I have classes late at night and just walking back to my dorm because we never know who is outside," said senior at Sac State Maria Escobar.
Sac State police said the suspect also was spotted acting suspiciously in the Library Quad on Thursday.
"To think somebody would come here and potentially put people in fear and put so much trauma on so many people is really disappointing," said Sac State senior Josh Gish.
Sac State had several sexual assault investigations this school year. Students said they have noticed increased patrols, better lighting and more emergency phones, but some still find the campus too accessible.
"Sometimes you will see people walking around and be like, 'They do not really look like a student,' " said Erown.
Can an indecent exposure incident like this escalate into something worse? Clinical and forensic neuropsychologist Dr. Judy Ho said yes, there is a concern since the person already disregarded the law once.
"This person is essentially a loose cannon in a way and you are not able to predict that behavior, and I think that's what creates this feeling of loss of safety for some people," said Dr. Ho. "I think the concern is that this individual clearly does not care about the law, rules or boundaries so you are not really sure what this individual could do next."
Donna Baker is a Sac State mother who said safety for her daughter is always top of mind.
"A lot of times I'm telling her what's going on," said Baker. "My daughter has beautiful long curly hair, so I am always telling her to be careful. Do not wear a ponytail that they would be able to grab."
She hopes the man does not try stepping foot on campus again.
"There is definitely a feeling of threat when that happens," said Dr. Ho. "It is a good idea to not be overly scared of your environment but definitely stay vigilant."
Students who spoke with CBS13 said they are confident that the Sacramento State police are on top of this investigation and will catch the guy.
If you recognize him, contact the Sacramento State Police Department at: (916) 278-6000 or email police@csus.edu.
