Flasher exposes himself to females both on and off university campus

September 8, 2017 Utah Channel 3

CEDAR CITY – Southern Utah University Police are asking the public for help in finding an unidentified male suspect accused of exposing himself to multiple victims on and off the university campus.

According to a notification bulletin issued by SUUPD Friday, a male, between 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 10 inches, entered the stadium restroom and exposed himself to a female at around 6:15 a.m. Thursday.

At around 6:30 a.m., just 15 minutes after the first incident, another victim reported seeing a man with his pants down on the University Boulevard overpass. He was reported to have left the area on foot and did not say anything to either victim.

The suspect was wearing a black hoodie and black pants and is described as having an average build.

A man fitting the suspect’s description was reported to have exposed himself to another woman at about 8:30 a.m., SUU Police Chief Rick Brown said during an interview with Cedar City News. This incident purportedly took place off campus on the bike trail on the south end of Cedar City near Walmart.

The first two incidents were not reported to police until Thursday afternoon, hours after the episodes had occurred, Brown said. Similarly, campus police were not informed about the third incident until Friday after they had released the information to the media.

While police have amped up patrol units Thursday and Friday the delay by victims in reporting the incidents make it nearly impossible for authorities to now locate the suspect, Brown said.

“If we would have received a phone call at the time these incidents happened it would have been easy to find him,” the campus police chief said. “But now, it’s not likely we’re going to find him. For one thing, a lot of people fit the description of the suspect.”

Police still plan on keeping extra patrol out for a “substantial period of time or until the suspect is caught,” according to the release.

If the man exposes himself again to someone, Brown asks that they call 911 immediately to give officers a chance to get a jump on the suspect before he is completely out of the area.

“We really need victims to notify authorities right away,” he said. “Not hours after the fact. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad these women reported these incidents but we just need people to call immediately while they still have the man in their sights and are able to provide us with his direction of travel.”

Police are encouraging the public to avoid poorly lit areas and to be observant of their surroundings. They also suggest that at least two people go together when talking a walk and keep music turned down low or leave one ear bud out if exercising outside.

Anyone with any information on these incidents should contact the University Police at 435-586-1911, online at www.suu.edu/publicsafety or in person at the University Police Department at 36 North 300 West.

To report incidents off campus contact Cedar City Police Department at 435-586-2956 or dial 911 if the suspect is in the area.

Email: tsullivan@stgnews.com

Twitter: @tracie_sullivan