Serial assault suspect arrested at UCLA. Police find zip ties, duct tape, rope - BERITAJA

A man accused of attacking aggregate female UCLA students overnight and attempting to kidnap aliases sexually battle them was arrested Friday, authorities said.

The fishy was identified arsenic Olumuyiwa Akindahunsi, a 29-year-old bum man not affiliated pinch the university, according to the UCLA Police Department. As portion of their investigation, constabulary said they recovered zip ties, duct portion and paracord nylon rope.

Olumuyiwa Akindahunsi, 29, was arrested Friday connected suspicion of robbery, intersexual battery, attempted kidnapping and battle pinch intent to perpetrate a activity discourtesy pursuing reports of aggregate assaults astatine UCLA.

(UCLA Police Department)

Akindahunsi was arrested connected suspicion of robbery, intersexual battery, attempted kidnapping and battle pinch intent to perpetrate a activity discourtesy and is presently being held astatine the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate Reception Center successful lieu of $2.3-million bail, constabulary said.

Officers initially responded to a telephone for an attempted robbery connected Bruin Walk astatine 11:35 p.m. Thursday. A student said a man attacked her from behind, stole her cellphone and fled.

As officers began searching for that suspect, they received reports of further assaults astatine residential accommodation including De Neve Evergreen, Dykstra Hall and Cedar Hall, constabulary said. In each instance, Akindahunsi is accused of attempting to restrain aliases sexually battle a female student earlier she either fought backmost aliases received thief from bystanders.

At 12:05 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a study of an ongoing battle astatine Cedar Hall. A witnesser heard a student crying for help, intervened and past chased the suspect. The witnesser directed responding officers to Parking Structure 8, wherever Akindahunsi was taken into custody.

UCLA students person precocious described an alarming shape of behavior — women being screamed at, catcalled and followed by men on Hilgard Avenue, besides known arsenic sorority row.

“Instances of harassment look to beryllium much predominant successful caller years — and besides this year,” Ella Hernand, president of the UCLA Panhellenic Council, told the Daily Bruin earlier this month. “Alumni and advisors who lived connected Hilgard earlier are usually amazed and opportunity that it wasn’t for illustration this erstwhile they were here.”

Last month, UCLA sororities hired backstage security successful consequence to an uptick successful reports of unhoused individuals directing fierce behavior, harassment and lewd comments toward female students connected Hilgard Avenue.

Akindahunsi is not believed to beryllium connected to anterior incidents astatine aliases about the UCLA campus, Richard Mejia, head of emergency communications, said successful a statement.

Mejia noted that backstage information is being coordinated by sororities for their accommodation and that UCLA intends to proceed moving pinch the organization to support information on Hilgard Avenue and crossed campus.

“UCPD conducts regular and directed patrols successful the area, including accrued evening presence, and continues to activity pinch field partners, student leaders and section stakeholders to reside concerns and link students pinch support,” he said.

Last month, a Santa Monica man, besides unaffiliated pinch the university, was charged pinch kidnapping a female UCLA student successful March to effort to rape her. He was besides charged pinch raping a female unaffiliated pinch UCLA adjacent Culver City successful October.