THE NEWS IN BRIEF

Possible sexual assault, kidnapping initiated at Cougar Village late Friday

An e-Lert reporting a kidnapping that occurred on SIUE campus was issued by SIUE Police early in the morning of May 27. The e-Lert said the kidnapping resulted in a later sexual assault in Berkeley, Missouri.

According to the e-Lert, a woman said she had been taken from Cougar Village by an acquaintance and driven to north St. Louis — later confirmed to be Berkeley, Missouri.

“The female reported she was held at gunpoint during the drive before being sexually assaulted in Missouri,” according to the e-Lert.

The victim said she was pushed from the car, after the assault, where she then called local police.

According to the e-Lert, the suspect is about 6 feet 1 inch tall and is described as a “light-skinned black male” with short, dark hair and a patchy beard. The suspect’s vehicle was reported to be a “gray or silver Hyundai 4-door sedan, possibly with mild front end damage.”

SIUE Police said the case is being handled by the Berkeley Police Department in Missouri, where the assault is reported to have occurred. When contacted, Berkeley Police did not comment, as the officer who is working the case is out of the office until Tuesday.