San Jose State Groping Suspect Arrested

By: Bay City News Service

Updated Jan. 27, 2011, 3:04 p.m.

A suspect is in custody in connection with the groping of four women as they slept in a San Jose State University dormitory building early this morning, a university spokeswoman said.

The suspect was arrested around noon today at an off-campus location, university spokeswoman Pat Lopes Harris said. He is a SJSU student but was not a resident at the dorm, Lopes Harris said.

She said investigators are still interviewing witnesses and would not be releasing the suspect's name until he is booked into jail later today.

He had earlier been described as a man in his 20s wearing dark clothing.

The attacks were initially reported shortly after 3:30 a.m. by a female student who said she had been groped while she slept in her room at Joe West Hall, located at 375 S. Ninth St., Lopes Harris said.

After responding to the call and searching for the suspect, campus police found that three other women had also been groped at the 12-story building, prompting the issuance of an alert by the university warning students to lock their dorm rooms, Lopes Harris said.

"We have reason to believe the suspect was walking door-to-door checking for unlocked doors," she said.

None of the victims were injured or raped, Lopes Harris said.

She said a keycard issued by the school is required for entry into the dorm and for movement between floors on the elevators, but it is common for students to let "tailgaters" enter the building without a key.