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Police investigating 5 reports of female students spied on in showers at UMass Amherst

“The UMPD is actively investigating these incidents and is encouraging any resident to immediately report suspicious behavior to the police,” police said.

Erin Clark/Boston Globe

September 25, 2024

1 minute to read

Police at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are investigating five separate reports of a man spying on female students while they showered over several days in September.

The first incident was reported on Sept. 16 around 11:19 p.m. and initially treated as an isolated incident, according to the UMass Police Department. A second incident was reported the next day around 3:40 p.m.

“This report alleges a white male was seen looking at, or attempting to use a cellphone to look over the top of the shower curtains in the bathroom on the 3rd floor of Field residence hall,” police said.

A third incident, this time on the 7th floor of the Grayson residence hall, was reported around 2:11 a.m. on Sept. 18. The suspect was described as a white man, possibly college-aged with short brown/blonde hair, wearing maroon shorts and a black sweatshirt “exhibiting the same behavior,” police said.

“All three reports indicate the party had what appeared to be a cell phone attempting to take pictures or video,” police said.

After the police department posted alerts about the shower spying in the Grayson and Field residence halls, two more similar incidents were reported in the buildings. Those additional incidents took place on Sept. 17 at 1 a.m. on the 6th floor in the Field residence hall and on Sept. 18 at 1 a.m. on the 5th floor of Grayson hall.

“The UMPD is actively investigating these incidents and is encouraging any resident to immediately report suspicious behavior to the police,” police said.

The campus police department is asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 413-545-2121 or online at https://www.umass.edu/umpd/anonymous-witness-form.