[UPDATED] Attempted on-campus sexual assault suspect arrested

Yunkyo Kim, campus editor

A suspect in an alleged sexual assault attempt on Northeastern’s campus has been arrested, according to university officials.

In a July 20 email correspondence, Vice President for Communications Renata Nyul told The News the suspect has been apprehended that day and was not affiliated with Northeastern. 

The suspect has since been identified as Boston man Kenneth Colson, who was apprehended by The Northeastern University Police Department, or NUPD. He was charged with assault to rape, open and gross lewdness, assault and battery, trespassing and kidnapping according to court documents obtained by Boston.com

In a statement to The News following the event, NU Sexual Assault Response Coalition, or SARC, urged the university to “take more steps to ensure public safety” by increasing lights and blue light phones on campus and promoting Safezone, an application which helps students communicate with NUPD.

“SARC is dedicated to making our campus and the greater Boston area a safer place for everyone and
ending events such as these for good,” said SARC Secretary Chinma Nnadozie-Okananwa.

NUPD said last week that it was investigating an alleged attempted sexual assault against an NU student, which occurred July 18 in an undisclosed academic building on campus. 

“At this time, there is no ongoing threat to the community based on this incident,” NUPD wrote in an email to the NU community on the same day.

The police department also said the suspect was observed fleeing campus through Ruggles Station after the attempted assault. 

No further information is immediately available to the public at this time. 

Updated July 23 at 8:30 p.m. to include the identity of the suspect.

Updated July 27 at 12 p.m. to include a statement by the Sexual Assault Response Coalition.