Within the last three weeks, four major incidents took place at Mt. SAC from battery to sexual assaults to attempted murder, leaving many growing concerned about the safety of the open campus.

Following the stabbing, many within the campus expressed disappointment and anger at campus safety and the college’s responses to the incident. Mt. SAC Police and Campus Safety Chief Mike Williams told SAC Media that the school would host a safety forum within the next two weeks. That was 16 days ago as of the publishing of this article.

After the notification of the second sexual assault, an official announcement was made. Mt. SAC President Martha Garcia announced that the school will hold a Campus Safety Forum on Wednesday, Oct 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Building 13-1700.

The day after the stabbing incident, a reported sexual battery occurred near building 2T. According to Mt. SAC’s crime log and Mt. SAC Alert text service, “an unidentified male subject approached a female student, and after a conversation with the female student, the suspect groped her by grabbing her breast and buttocks over the clothing and fled from the area.”

In their investigation, authorities discovered the man had approached several other women, including one he had sexually harassed.

The crime log does not specify the location of the incident, indicating the location only as “Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, CA.” It was via the text and email alert that reported the battery at building 2T. The log initially recorded the incident as a battery and was later categorized as sexual battery.

The second reported incident of sexual battery occurred Sept. 25 in a restroom near building 9. According to the crime log, the incident occurred on Sept. 25, but was not reported to campus safety until Sept. 28. Hours later, the text alert system notified the campus.

Nine days into the month of October, we have a hit-and-run attempt and another battery case.

According to the crime logs, the hit-and-run attempt occurred on Oct. 3 in parking lot B when an unknown suspect crashed their car into the victim’s parked car and fled the scene immediately.

Two days later, it was reported a man following a female student into parking lot A where he grabbed her from behind and placed an unknown sharp object. While the victim was able to get away from the assailant, she was left with scratch marks on her neck and abdomen.

Although students did not receive any text alerts from the campus, an email was sent to students from Mt. SAC’s crime alerts informing them of the two most recent incidents.

Students like Julia Gomez, a 19-year-old transfer student, are troubled by the delay in notifications about crimes on campus and wonder if the school will buffer the security measures moving forward.

“To be honest, I was not aware of the crime logs existing,” Gomez said. “I signed up for the text alerts from the school [but] if you’re telling me they aren’t accurate or crimes reported are delayed, then what the hell is the point of having it?”

Many students and staff share the same sentiment of concern for their safety and well-being.

Some have speculated that there may be a connection to these types of incidents due to the extra foot traffic from the new Foothill Transit Center added to the school over the summer. According to Mt. SAC Wrestling Assistant Coach and kinesiology professor Liron Wilson, because of the relocation of the mat room and its martial arts classes, an element of safety has dissipated from that side of the campus. Several students and other faculty have told Wilson that they feel safer south of the bridge where the martial arts instructor and campus safety are located.

Nevertheless, there remains a shared sentiment across campus: What is Mt. SAC going to do to make its campus safer?

Williams added that campus safety will consider any possible options to bolster security measures on campus and for the campus to address their concerns and suggestions at the safety forum on Oct. 6.

For those unable to attend in person, a YouTube link has been provided for students to view.