University of California, Davis students were told to remain indoors late Monday evening because a third stabbing incident took place following two deaths with stab-related wounds in the past week.
The third attack targeted a female victim in her mid-60s. She was stabbed multiple times through a tent. The assault took place at a homeless community at Second and L streets, leaving the victim in critical condition, the Davis Enterprise reported.
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Last Thursday, the body of 50-year-old David Henry Breaux was discovered on a Central Park bench with multiple stab wounds. On Saturday night, Karim Abou Najm, a UC Davis student who was expected to graduate this year, was fatally stabbed at Sycamore Park.
“News of this crime is deeply unsettling,” Chancellor Gary S. May said in a statement after the Davis student attack Saturday night.
“We are doing all we can to support our community, including the family. Our Police Department is collaborating with the city of Davis Police Department to provide all available resources to assist in the search for the suspect or suspects, and to provide extra patrols in the city and on campus. The UC Davis Police Safe Rides Program is being expanded.”
Police issued a shelter-in-place order shortly before 1 a.m. PST, and they lifted the order around 5:15 a.m. PST Tuesday.
Considering witness testimony, police believe all three incidents may be linked to the same assailant.
“It’s too early to tell — this is extremely preliminary,” Lt. Dan Beckwith, a spokesman for the Davis Police Department, told the Sacramento Bee.
“I can say that the description is similar to what was provided to us in the most recent homicide, however, it’s still very, very early on," he said.
Crime has been on the rise across many cities where large college campuses are located, and concern is spreading across state lines.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its "Crime on Campus" report on Friday. It looked into crime rates in 2021 and 2022.
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The study indicated that crimes that reportedly took place at Tennessee university and college campuses saw a 26.28% increase from 2021 to 2022.
UC Davis students and affiliates are taking to Twitter to express their disdain for the lack of action by UC Davis leadership following the string of violent assaults. Some students are calling for updates to campus infrastructure to better protect students, while others are questioning why campus remains open while the assailant is still at large.