Georgia State University student sexually assaulted near campus

GSU student sexually assaulted

A Georgia State University student’s father says he will be enrolling his daughter in another school after she was sexually assaulted in Downtown Atlanta near the campus.

ATLANTA - A Georgia State University student says she was sexually assaulted right near a campus building. It happened along Auditorium Place near Courtland Street in downtown Atlanta. Police are searching for that woman’s attacker.

The victim’s father, who does not want to be named in this story, said just after 8 p.m. Wednesday, his daughter was walking from the gym back to the deck where she parked her car.

"As she was walking, she noticed someone started to follow her," the victim’s father said. "He grabbed her. She was sexually assaulted."

She fought back. "She just lost it. It’s mostly yelling, and the guy, I think, was surprised," the father said.

The attacker took off. The woman is traumatized. "She doesn’t even want to go on campus," her father said.

Michael Sanseviro, vice president for student engagement at the university, said GSU is offering support to the victim.

"We never want any of our students to ever experience anything like this," Sanseviro said. "We have made all of our resources available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure whatever she needs from us that she’s receiving."

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This attack is the latest in several unrelated violent incidents near campus. Two Georgia State students were injured in a shooting last October. And a student was gunned down in late 2022.

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Four people were also shot at a nearby gas station in November and a double shooting in December remains under investigation.

"We are increasing patrols, we are increasing officers, we are increasing technology and the way we’re using technology to monitor campus," Sanseviro said.

"We have to convince her that environment is a safe environment. Otherwise, we’re going to have to enroll her in another school," the victim’s father said.

GSU police are investigating. Chief Anthony Coleman said the department sent out a notice to the entire university. He says they are also looking into ways to improve safety.

Georgia State University Downtown News Crime and Public Safety