By Easton Tomlinson
Guest Writer
In the late evening of Saturday, September 5, 2026, an assault of a student took place on Baran Drive just outside of the Lacey MakerSpace. (The student’s identity and residence will be kept confidential to protect their privacy and these facts will be referred to only as “the victim” and “the dorms”.) According to Saint Martin’s Public Safety and a source who wishes to remain anonymous, the victim was walking toward the dorms in the dark on the path next to Baran Drive coming from the direction of College Street. This is when an unknown assailant emerged from the woods between Baran and College. The assailant came at the student from behind and attempted a rear neck grab and punch to the throat of the victim to try to incapacitate the victim. But the victim fended off the assailant by punching and kicking him until he fled the scene towards College. The victim then ran back to the dorms. Once making it to the dorms, the victim notified Public Safety.
Upon being notified, Public Safety notified the Lacey Police, who launched an investigation into the perpetrator and searched the local area. Public Safety joined not long afterwards, interviewing the student and checking the area to make sure the assailant wasn’t hiding by the dorms or any parts of the wooded areas around the dorms.
Since that night, there has been no sign of the assailant based on Public Safety’s surveillance of the area. And police have made no arrest in response to the incident.
When this writer interviewed our Public Safety officials, they provided some useful information on how to keep safe on campus, as well as how to aid authorities if you find yourself in a similar situation. An official stated, “Put the Public Safety number into your phone and try to get the best description of the offender: race, height, weight, clothes… specific marks like tattoos or scars. The official advised the public to try to avoid going out at night alone but travel in groups when doing so.
The incident caused a stir of community concern, and the officials acknowledge this and express that there is no need for panic. They remind the campus public that Public Safety is staffed by professionals, most of whom have military experience. If there is an incident on campus, witnesses should report it immediately to the Public Safety number. And they stressed that these types of targeted assaults are rare.
The victim has wished to have their privacy respected and did not wish to speak on the record to The Belltower. The victim is adjusting well to recovering from the incident.
