Community Crime Alert: Police ask for help, issue safety tips

To: UCSC Community

From: UCSC Police Department

Updated Information

• Police have released a sketch of the suspect.

• Police have released an updated video description of the vehicle.

UC SANTA CRUZ POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY CRIME ALERT BULLETIN

Crimes(s):
• 664 PC / 187 PC – Attempted Homicide
• 211 PC – Armed Robbery

Date(s):
February 11, 2013

Location:
300 Natural Bridges Drive, near the bus stop located at Natural Bridges Drive and Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA

Case #s:
City of Santa Cruz Police Department case # 13S-01291

Suspect(s):
 White or light skinned male in his 20’s, approximately 5 feet 7 inches with a medium build.
 Wearing jeans, grey hooded sweat shirt
 Red bandana in a triangle covering the suspect’s face.
 The suspect was further described as having a gruff voice and several days beard growth.
 The suspect is believed to have fled in a white Chrysler PT Cruiser that the victim saw in the area prior to the attack.

Incident(s):
On February 11, 2013, at approximate 7:30Pm, while waiting at a bus stop near the Natural Bridges State Park, a 21 year old female UC Santa Cruz student reported that the suspect appeared from the wooded area behind the bus stop, pointed a firearm at her, believed to be a rifle and demanded that the victim empty her pockets and hand over the contents.

The victim reported being struck by the suspect in the back of the head with the rifle.

After being hit, the victim ran up Natural Bridges Drive where she flagged down a passing motorist. While running away she turned back to see the suspect taking her backpack. The motorist called 9-1-1.

It was later determined that the victim had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The bullet was discovered lodged in the victim’s skull without penetrating the secondary layer. The bullet was successfully removed by neurosurgeons. The victim is expected to make a full recovery and is in stable condition.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is working with the City of Santa Cruz Police Department to identify the suspect.

(This bulletin is also available on the UCSC Police web site; the posting there includes a link to the Santa Cruz PD press release about this incident.)

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to call the City of Santa Cruz Police Department Investigations Unit at (831) 420-5820 or the UC Santa Cruz Police Department at 831-459-2231.

 ANONYMOUS information regarding this incident may be left on the City of Santa Cruz Police Department TIP LINE (831) 420-5995 or through their mobile iPhone and Android App.

 Reports may also be made ANONYMOUSLY to the UC Santa Cruz Police Department by calling 831-459-3TIP (459-3847) or submitted online via http://police.ucsc.edu

Safety Reminders:
 Always be alert to your surroundings.
 Report all suspicious persons and activity or information to the UC Santa Cruz Police Department.
 Don’t resist. Give up your property—don’t give up your life.
 Report the crime to the police. Try to describe the attacker accurately. Your actions can help prevent others from becoming victims.
 If possible, don’t walk alone during late-night hours. Walk in groups whenever you can — there is always safety in numbers.
 Let a family member or friend know your destination and your estimated time of arrival or return. That way, the police can be notified as quickly as possible if there is a problem.
 Stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.
 Trust your instincts. If something or someone makes you uneasy, avoid the person or leave.
 Save any evidence. Do not remove any evidence until officers are able to respond and investigate.

_____

Nader Oweis, Chief of Police
University of California, Santa Cruz Police Department

This Bulletin is in Compliance with 20 U.S.C. Section 1092 (f), the "Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act" ("Clery Act"), and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).