{"id":4141,"date":"2016-10-26T13:12:09","date_gmt":"2016-10-26T17:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hunterword.com\/?p=4141"},"modified":"2022-04-01T12:43:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-01T16:43:58","slug":"news-follow-up-of-the-groping-and-stalking-of-a-hunter-college-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/news-follow-up-of-the-groping-and-stalking-of-a-hunter-college-student\/","title":{"rendered":"News Follow-Up About the Groping and Stalking of an Hunter Student"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Campus Security Lapse Exposed the Student as well as the Hunter Community to Potential Harm and It Cost a Public Safety Officer His Job<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Article written by Ricardo Montero-Hernandez, October 26, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suspect Still at Large<\/strong><\/p>\n

A man grabbed a 19-year-old Hunter student\u2019s buttocks as she got out of a downtown 6 train at the 68th Street station on August 29. He followed her onto campus but when she noticed him behind her, he fled.<\/p>\n

The police have made no arrests \u2013 yet. The suspect was described as a bald, African American male in his 40s, 5-feet-10 inches, and was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt, light-colored shorts and a backpack. Footage of a security camera obtained by this reporter from the NYPD shows the man bypassing the turnstile as well as a security officer without the suspect using a required Hunter identification card<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The fact that it was so easy for the suspect to enter campus caused concern and the security guard was fired.<\/p>\n

An official statement by the College\u2019s Office of Communications<\/a>, saying that the College was \u201creviewing the situation and continues to make every effort to ensure the safety of the entire Hunter community.\u201d The director of Public Safety, Joseph D. Foelsch, provided specifics through Eileen Sullivan, a spokesperson from the public relations office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Public Safety Department provided immediate training to all officers regarding the protocols for allowing individuals entrance to the college,\u201d said Foelsch.\u201c A more in depth training regimen is ongoing. There are plans for the installation of additional cameras and for the hiring of additional staff.\u201d No specifics about the training and alleged in-depth training were provided.<\/p>\n

Foelsch also said that a request for a retrofit for the College turnstiles was awaiting a proposal from a manufacturer to prevent the turnstiles from being opened manually. Furthermore, the officer in charge of that entrance the day of who was fired had been distracted while assisting a student with directions, according to Foelsch. Public Safety officers searched the College once the incident was reported but did not find the suspect. A report was made to the 19th Precinct of the NYPD, located a block from campus<\/a> at 157 East 67th Street, but this reporter was told that the precinct was not allowed to comment on an ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n