Authorities are still searching for the suspect who attacked a female student on campus last week. Meanwhile, campus officials said they might reassess the lighting and security in the area where the assault occurred.

The investigation into the March 29 assault is ongoing, Campus Police Capt. Jon Barnwell said.

“We’re still conducting interviews and collecting information,” Barnwell said.  “At this time, we haven’t had anything substantial come from that as far as the potential identification of the suspect.  But we’re still working hard.”

Barnwell said at this point in the investigation, it cannot be determined whether or not the assailant was a student.

“[The suspect is] a younger guy, so it’s very feasible that he could be a college student,” Barnwell said. “But on that same token, he has the ability to not be a student.  [However], we can’t rule him out as not being a student.”

Barnwell praised the victim’s efforts to get to safety after kneeing the assailant in the groin.

“[Afterward,] she was just concentrating on getting to a safe place and making contact with [Campus Police,]” Barnwell said.  “She actually went back to her residence hall and made contact with a roommate, and her roommate actually initiated the call with a cell phone.”

Although the assault victim was not physically injured, Barnwell wants her to utilize campus resources to combat any adverse emotional effects.

“My biggest thing is making sure she has the resources to be in a good place mentally … she was not physically hurt but she was clearly shaken up, as can be expected,” Barnwell said.

Thomas Hall and the area surrounding Yarborough Drive and Derieux Place, where the student reported being attacked, is “somewhat hidden” from view, according to Lindsey Pullum, Student Government’s chair of elections and a senior in political science.

“All campuses have those nooks and crannies that buildings are hidden away at.  And although it is a well-lit area, [Thomas Hall] is almost a hidden part of campus,” Pullum said.

“In general, N.C. State is an extremely safe campus.  But because [the Thomas Hall area] is a low-traffic area and because [the incident] was at night…the risk and lack of security is raised,” Pullum said. 

Barnwell said he does not remember similar incidents occurring near Thomas Hall in the past.

“I can’t think of any that comes to mind and I’ve been here for about 15 years.  That’s the first [incident] I can remember happening [at Thomas Hall],” Barnwell said.

Because the assault occurred at night, Barnwell discussed the potential issue of proper lighting around the area.

“What [Campus Police does] is we provide recommendations.  From time to time, safety money becomes available for retrofitting, or coming in and looking at an area like [Thomas Hall] and adding additional lighting,” Barnwell said.

It is entirely possible the area where the assault occurred could be retrofitted with more lighting, Barnwell said.

“I’m not saying that’s not going to take place based on the nature of this incident.  I can say the area has been looked at for lighting,” Barnwell said.

Eric Dean, power systems engineer within the Department of Utilities Engineering, said this particular area  is already well-lighted.

“Specifically, [regarding] the lighting at Thomas Hall…all the walkways, specifically around the building and more particularly at the site of the incident, was very well-lit,” Dean said. “So with the exception of it being yellow light, [the area] was extremely well-lit.  All the lights were functioning [and] lighting very nicely.”

The Department of Utilities and Engineering, Campus Police and concerned students correspond with each other in attending to campus safety concerns by completing an annual “night walk,” Barnwell said.

“The night walk is when members of Facilities, the police department, Housing, concerned students, faculty and staff get together,” Barnwell said.  “[We] split up in groups and then they walk the campus and report areas that have overgrown shrubbery, [and] poor lighting so broken stuff can be fixed and the landscape can be addressed.”

Dean said the feedback campus officials receive is invaluable to ensuring student safety.

“We work very closely with the results that are gathered from those night walks,” Dean said.  “There are times when students point out areas that are more heavily traveled during the evening … and we respond immediately [by installing] new lighting.”

Aside from lighting, Barnwell also expressed the desire to place cameras around Thomas Hall.  Campus Police is reviewing footage taken from cameras located in the Brickyard, the Free Expression Tunnel and the SAS Hall area, but there is no feed from the immediate assault area.

“I think ultimately, from a police standpoint, we would like to see cameras in all open areas of campus.  And I think that’s the general direction we’re headed [in], but everything is driven by the budget,” Barnwell said.

“There are roughly 800 cameras on campus now and we’re continuously adding cameras as money becomes available,” Barnwell said.

Pullum said more students who feel unsafe should rely on Campus Police.

“Officers, men and women, will bend over backward for students if they need help getting home.  It is not discouraged at all to call Campus Police and ask for an escort,” Pullum said.

Pullum also praised the assault victim for fighting back.

“The young woman…fought back and got away,” Pullum said. ”And if anything, having that courage and having that strength to stand up against a predator like that is a great example for young men and women on campus.”

Because the investigation is open and ongoing, Barnwell urged anyone with any information to contact Campus Police.

“I wouldn’t tell anybody to hesitate to call [Campus Police,]” Barnwell said.  “I want them to call us immediately if they even think they may have information that could prove fruitful for the investigation.”