Content Warning: This timely warning includes descriptions of sexual violence.

In an effort to promote campus safety and provide timely information to our campus community, the following information is being provided so that you can make informed decisions about your safety. We encourage all community members to care for their needs and well-being while reading this message, especially those who have been impacted by similar forms of violence.

CARE provides free and confidential support and advocacy to students, staff, and faculty who have experienced sexual violence, including sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. Please call the 24/7 confidential phone line (805) 893-4613 any time to explore your rights, options, and support. Visit the CARE website for more information.

Information about UCSB’s policies and support resources for sexual violence can be found by visiting the Office of Title IX Compliance & Discrimination and Harassment Prevention website.

Report

This is a Timely Warning regarding a crime that occurred on campus property. 

On April 7, 2026, the UCSB Police Department received a report of a battery on an MTD bus and stalking that occurred at the North Hall Bus Loop on Saturday, April 4, 2026. The victim was riding an MTD bus towards the North Hall Bus Loop when the suspect sat next to her and placed a backpack on his lap. The suspect moved closer to the victim and began rubbing the victim’s thigh. When the bus arrived at the bus loop, the victim exited, and the suspect followed her. The victim got the attention of nearby people, at which point the suspect walked away. The suspect is described as a male in his 30s. The suspect is not known to the victim.

UCPD received a similar report on January 20, 2026. In that incident, the victim was on an MTD bus headed toward the North Hall Bus Loop when the suspect boarded and sat next to her. The suspect put his backpack on his lap and then touched the victim’s thigh and private body parts without consent. The suspect is described as a male in his 20s to 30s. He was wearing a dark gray beanie, a black t-shirt, black sweatpants, and black shoes. He was also wearing a faded black backpack. He is approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and 220 pounds. The suspect is not known to the victim.

UCPD is investigating these crimes. If you have information that might assist in the investigation or have been the victim of similar crimes, please contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446, or report crime information anonymously.

UCPD reminds the campus community of the following safety tips:

Safety Tips

  • Perpetrators are responsible for sexual assault. Crime victims are never responsible for the behavior of perpetrators. 
  • If you start to feel concerns about a person or a situation, trust your instincts and try to remove yourself as quickly as possible from the potential threat, even if it feels awkward to leave.
  • If you are going out alone, make sure that someone knows where you are going, who you will be with, and when you expect to return.
  • If you think someone is at risk of assault or abuse, you should consider it an emergency and act to support that person. You can call the police or ask for help from other people, intervene directly if safe, or create a distraction to help remove the potential victim from the situation.
  • If you feel you are being followed, try to get the attention of people nearby, run/walk to a well-lit and/or more populated area, and call 911 to ask for help.

UCPD shares these Safety Tips while recognizing that perpetrators, and not the victims or survivors, are solely responsible for their actions.

The UCSB Police Department’s CSO Safety Escort Program is a free service provided to members of the UCSB community as a safe alternative to walking alone at night. Call (805) 893-2000 to request a CSO escort. For more information, visit the CSO Safety Escort Program website. 

**UCPD encourages printing and posting of this Timely Warning for further community notification.**

WHAT IS THIS NOTICE?  

In compliance with the Clery Act, Timely Warnings are issued by the UCSB Police Department when certain (Clery Act) crimes occurring on campus property, properties controlled by campus-affiliated organizations, or public property immediately adjacent to campus are determined to be a serious or continuing threat to the campus community. Timely Warnings are intended to prevent similar crimes and to provide information that will assist community members in protecting themselves.