UPDATE: According to a Daily Record article published on April 16, the alleged victim has recanted their accusation of the assault.

Students woke up to an automated alarm around 4 a.m. Monday morning from Central’s warning system concerning an assault that occurred on campus.

A student in parking lot V18 by Student Village was attacked by an knife wielding assailant, and university police have been investigating it. While the victim was treated for minor injuries on the scene, Mike Luvera, chief of Central’s police force, alluded that it could have been worse.

“We’re fortunate that it was minor injuries,” Luvera said.

The victim made their way to a blue light emergency phone in student village and made an emergency call to KITTCOM, Ellensburg’s emergency dispatch.

A notification sent out by the university police Facebook page describes the assailant.

“The suspect has been described as a white male of average height and build, with short light brown hair with sideburns to the bottom of the earlobe. He was last seen wearing dark jeans and a green jacket with hood.”

In addition, Luvera said they also believe the attacker may have been in his 30s.

Central currently has around 30 blue light emergency phones in place around campus. These are for making direct emergency calls.

While some students have expressed their displeasure at being woken early in the morning from the emergency broadcast phone calls, Luvera said that they are required by federal law to issue them.

Luvera said that these events are rare, and that mass alerts over the phone are only issued in extreme cases like this.

According to Luvera, assaults like this are rare not only in Ellensburg, but also in Kittitas county as a whole, and that students can take steps to protect themselves.

“Walk in pairs, know where you’re going, be aware of your surrounding,” Luvera said.

The university police also offer the CAT, or Central Assistance Team, for students to utilize. This is comprised of student volunteers who are generally available from sunset to midnight, and can be called on to escort students around campus.

Luvera said he is happy to talk with any concerned groups on campus or around Ellensburg to answer any questions.