Dear AU Community,

As we move forward this week, the Kerwin Hall investigation and our efforts to maintain the overall safety of the campus continue in full effect. We understand that you still have concerns, and we want to provide the latest information to address your questions. To help protect and support you, uniformed and plainclothes AUPD officers continue expanded patrols of campus.

Through our ongoing investigation and comprehensive review of surveillance video, we have tracked the individual’s movement on campus. Following his interaction in Kerwin Hall classrooms, the video showed him spending short periods of time at other campus locations with very limited contact with community members. He then left campus and has not been seen since Thursday. His behavior observed on video showed an individual who appears to be wandering with no apparent intended destination or specific purpose. None of the information received or reviewed to date indicates an intent to do harm.

We have conducted more than 20 interviews with community members who were present in Kerwin Hall, reviewed more than 10 tips provided via the RAVE Guardian app, and followed up on more than 20 emails and voicemails from community members. All this information corroborates the assessment that there was no intention to do harm. We have received no further reports of contact with the individual or other concerning behavior. 

Campus remains secure and activities are continuing as scheduled with the support of the heightened AUPD presence. We encourage you to follow good safety protocols as you complete the semester. Anyone who feels unsafe can call the AUPD emergency number at 202 885 3636, use the blue light emergency telephones on campus, or use the RAVE Guardian app on your phone. We are taking all necessary measures to support the safety and well-being of our community. 

Sincerely,

Bronté Burleigh-Jones, Ph.D.
CFO, Vice President, and Treasurer