By OTE Staff
Madison Police arrested an Edgewood student Tuesday night in Regina Hall in connection with unlawful possession of a firearm on campus after an alleged assault of another student near Wingra cafe, according to an email sent about noon Wednesday by Andrew Manion, president of Edgewood College.
Police arrested the alleged assailant after a they searched his room and found an unloaded gun and ammunition.
The alleged victim of the assault did not require medical attention.
“We have every indication that this incident was between two students who know each other,” Manion said in his email. “The safety and health of all of our student is at the top of my list of priorities. Any violence on our campus of any kind is not tolerated.”
The email said that concerned students can contact the Security Office (608-663-4321) or download the Rave Guardian app at the App Store. Students can alert police and the campus Security Office among other actions on the app, Manion said in his email.
Manion said a number of student witnessed the events. The Security Office in an interview today said students saw the assault in the Wingra Cafe area.
A sophomore student said she observed the police escorting the alleged assailant to the police car. The student, who asked that her name not be used out privacy concerns, said she saw the scene from the campus Security Office. She said other students were in that office filling out a police report.
The sophomore student said the incident made her feel uncomfortable witnessing such a action on campus.
Another student, who also asked not to be identified out of privacy concerns, said she is a resident in West Regina Hall where the alleged victim lives and she said that she witnessed the attack.
She said in her presence the male student approached the alleged victim at the entrance to Wingra Cafe near Eddy’s and said he wanted his phone back.
She said the exact words were “Give me my f—-ing phone” adding “or I’ll hurt you.” The witness said the man shoved the woman and then put his hand on her face with his fingers on one cheek and his thumb on the other.
Sensing that they were watching a private conversation, the woman and another witness exited and went to their rooms in West Regina.
“I was so pissed… I was crying,” she said, “A man should not be allowed to lay his hands on a woman” on the Edgewood campus.
She said the alleged assailant had come to the alleged victim’s room on more than one occasion and banged on her door. No one reported it to the residents’ assistants (RA), she said. The witness said if this happened in the future, now knowing that the alleged assailant had a weapon and ammunition in his room on the second floor of Regina, she would call Security or alert the RAs.
In this incident, she said she realized that “everyone was endangered. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
The witness said she read Manion’s email and said that she did not know where the Security number was or what the Guardian app was. She said she would rely on the RAs to report any concerns to the Dean of Students in the future.
“Our personal counseling services and campus ministry colleagues are always available to support our students,” Manion said in his email. “Our security personnel are on duty 24/7 and everyone in our community has access to the Guardian app where students and others may report safety concerns.”
He urged students to reach out to other students, faculty or staff for support.
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