Suspicious man apprehended

By Scott B. Wong
Daily Bruin Staff

University police apprehended a male suspect exhibiting unusual
behavior near a women’s rest room in Kerckhoff Hall on Friday
afternoon.

But police said he did not fit the description of the suspect
who committed two assaults in campus bathrooms earlier this
month.

“We received a call from Kerckhoff that a suspicious male
was looking in the ladies’ room,” said Nancy
Greenstein, director of community services for UCPD.

The caller, who phoned police at 3:06 p.m. from the Student
Union Operations office, said the man was following women into rest
rooms.

Police contacted the suspect in Kerckhoff and identified him as
31-year-old Hao N. Nguyen.

Police determined Nguyen had no affiliation to the university
and had not committed any crime.

No charges were pressed against him.

“He fully cooperated when he was told he was not welcome
on campus and asked to leave,” Greenstein said.

Since assaults were reported earlier this month, Greenstein said
more members of the community have been reporting suspicious
activity.

“Everyone has a heightened sensitivity right now, which
prompted (the women who reported the incident) to give us a
call,” Greenstein said.

On Jan. 10, two sexual assaults occurred within an hour of each
other in women’s rest rooms in Schoenberg Music Building and
Boelter Hall.

Police believe those attacks were committed by the same suspect,
described as a 5-foot-5-inch to 5-foot-10-inch African American
male in his late 20s to early 30s with a stocky build, shaved head
and medium complexion.

Shortly after Friday’s incident, concerned individuals
posted notices in women’s rest rooms throughout Kerckhoff
describing the suspect as a 5-foot-6-inch Asian man in his early
20s, roughly 140 pounds, with a shaved head and brown eyes.

The notice read, “Please be aware of who and what is
around you! Travel in pairs, Be aware.”

Though police weren’t responsible for posting the notices
in Kerckhoff, Greenstein said she likes the fact that the community
is working together.

It is important people take extra precautions to ensure a safe
community environment, she said.

“We encourage anyone to call us if anything looks
suspicious so we can check things out,” Greenstein said.

Friday’s incident came on the day the U.S. Department of
Justice released a statistics report showing 13 percent of U.S.
college women were stalked during the 1996-97 school year and 1.7
percent were raped.

UCLA alone reported five forcible sexual assaults and seven
rapes for 1999. University police said crime statistics for 2000
will not be released until March.

To report suspicious behavior, contact UCPD at (310) 825-1491 or
visit the Web site at http://www.ucpd.ucla.edu