January 11, 2025 IU Bloomington Public Safety Advisory
In order to keep the Indiana University campus communities informed, the IU Police Department is issuing a Public Safety Advisory. This advisory is intended to alert the community when certain incidents pose an on-going risk to students and employees.
TIME AND LOCATION OF OFFENSE: Over the last 3 days, there were two incidents reported to IUPD about suspicious activity focused on IU students. The most recent incident occurred on January 11 just before 7:00 p.m. near 7th Street on Eagleson Avenue. The other incident occurred at the 1400 block of David Baker Avenue on January 8.
REPORTED OFFENSES:
January 11, 2025, incident:
IUPD received a report around 7:00 p.m. regarding a black SUV with an IU sticker on the back of the vehicle, driven by a white male with short brown hair slowing down next to a female IU student and falsely claiming he was with an IU ride service and giving rides home. The male insisted the student get in the vehicle. However, the student did not get in the vehicle. The vehicle was traveling southbound on Eagleson Avenue, close to 7th street. The vehicle continued south bound towards 3rd street. Please note that no IU ride share service will begin until January 13.
January 8, 2025, incident:
Officers responded to the 1400 block of David Baker Avenue regarding reports of an unknown male in a white van taking photographs of sorority applicants as they walked on the sidewalk. While officers were unable to locate the individual that day, they successfully identified him later that evening. The individual, who has no affiliation with the university, has been banned from all IU property for one year.
SUSPECTS: The suspect in the January 8 incident was banned for a year from all IU property. The suspect in the January 11 incident was a white male with short dark hair.
Anyone with information on this crime or any other crime is encouraged to call the IU Police Department at 812-855-4111.
In cases of emergencies, immediately dial 911.
SAFETY TIPS: In an effort to keep yourself and others safe, please consider the following safety tips:
- Always close and lock all doors and windows to your residence, room, or office when you leave.
- Always take your keys with you, even if you leave for only a short time.
- Do not lend your keys to anyone you do not know and trust.
- Always report suspicious behavior. IU has blue light emergency phones located throughout the campus that connect directly to IUPD.
- Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t be distracted by your cellphone.
- Avoid walking alone whenever possible.
- Use well-lit, regularly traveled walks and pathways, especially at night. Avoid shortcuts and keep away from shrubbery, bushes, alleyways, or any other poorly lit area where an assailant might be lurking.
- Keep your ears clear of headphones and your hands free of packages or bags.
- Report suspicious behavior, even if you are not being directly threatened. IU has blue light emergency phones located throughout the campus that connect directly to IUPD.
- Do not get into anyone's vehicle until you can confirm they are an official ride service. Examples of IU ride services would include IU busses and IU Ride.
- Verify the driver and car before getting in. Share your trip with a friend. Sit in the backseat and wear your seatbelt. Trust your instincts—if something feels off, cancel the ride.
Additional safety tips can be found online at: https://protect.iu.edu/police-safety/safety-prevention/index.html
STAY INFORMED:
Update your information on the IU Notify page to receive the most up-to-date notifications. Instructions for how to update your contact information are found at: https://kb.iu.edu/d/avvp
SAFETY RESOURCES:
Download the IU Rave Guardian Safety app to access personal safety resources. For more information visit: https://protect.iu.edu/emergency-planning/communication/guardian.html