Recent assault on campus has officially been classified as a hoax due to surveillance cameras providing the actual story.
According to the Police Bulletin that was released on Thursday Sep. 10, an alleged female victim who is an EC student filed a police report on Tuesday stating that a male approached her by the temporary campus bookstore and asked her to walk him to his car.
She agreed, and walked him to a dark colored SUV where there was another unknown male in the drivers seat. She was allegedly forced into the car, blindfolded and taken to an unknown location where she was sexually assaulted.
The first male suspect, however, was left on campus. Still blindfolded, the alleged victim was then dropped off near a bus stop on Crenshaw Blvd and 110th street.
After being dropped off, the alleged victim contacted the Los Angeles Police, who then notified the campus police since the suspect approached the alleged victim on the college grounds. The next day, the campus finally interviewed the alleged victim where she recanted her story.
According to the police bulletin released, she told police she did meet a fellow student in class, went with him to the campus bookstore, walked across Manhattan Beach Blvd and willingly got into his vehicle and drove with him to his home. She was not forced into a car on campus nor blindfolded as initially reported.
Along with interviewing the alleged victim, campus police also revealed images provided by a surveillance camera that was installed close by to where the incident took place.
There are currently 47 surveillance cameras installed throughout the campus and there is a project in the works to add even more.
“When the project is completed, there will be over 100 cameras,” Ann Garten, office of public information said.
Besides the new surveillance cameras being installed, EC President Dr. Thomas Fallo has confidence in the campus police.
‘We’re always reviewing practices and procedures along with updating security cameras and with this situation our police responded immediately and provided much assitance,”Fallo said.