UC Santa Barbara Police Seek Suspect in Recent Sexual Assault Incident

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) police are searching for a suspect in a sexual assault reported on June 24. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when a woman reported being stalked and groped while walking on a paved access road on UCSB's West Campus. The suspect, described as a Hispanic or Middle Eastern man approximately 35 years old, was seen riding a bicycle and approached the victim multiple times before the assault. This warning follows a previous incident in May, where an 18-year-old freshman reported being raped and strangled after attending a fraternity party. The investigation into that case remains ongoing, and UCSB police have stated they are in contact with the survivor's family and cooperating with local law enforcement. They encourage anyone with information about the recent incident to come forward.