RIO GRANDE — The University of Rio Grande Campus Police Department is currently investigating a criminal incident that occurred on campus last week.

According to Campus Chief of Police Scott Borden, the incident occurred at approximately 11 p.m. on Thursday, February 28, in Boyd Hall, an on-campus dormitory.

Reportedly, two non-students, whose names have not been released, entered the room of a student where they allegedly assaulted the student and stole an Xbox and a laptop computer.

The non-students, according to Borden, were known by the victim and other students, and were, thus, allowed into the locked building, and, subsequently, into the victim’s dorm room.

Following some initial conversation, the assault reportedly occurred after the two non-students took possession of the electronics and the student tried to fight for his property. A fight ensued, and, following this, the pair took off with the victim’s property, according to Borden.

“They have not been located at this time, and we believe they are out of the area,” Borden said of the suspects while reporting that the incident never caused a wider threat to the Rio Grande campus.

“The thing I want to emphasis is there was never a threat to campus,” he said. “These were people known to the victim. It wasn’t random. They had knowledge of each other and there was some type of dispute over property. Obviously, if it wasn’t just a random thing, we would have had a more heightened response to the rest of the university and the area.”

The victim sustained contusions to his head and minor cuts, according to Borden, and, as a precaution, an ambulance responded to the scene, but the victim refused to be transported to a local hospital.

The University or Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College maintains five dormitories on campus and Borden reported that the safety of those students residing on campus, as well as those who commute to class, is his number one priority, and, as such, he works to maintain a visible presence on campus.

“We try really hard to keep people visible all the time so if someone is going to do something, they see an officer and they, hopefully, leave or change their mind,” Borden stated. “That’s what we’re here for, is to keep students from getting hurt.”

As for the suspects in this case, the chief of police reported that he and his officers are working with the office of the Gallia County Prosecutor as far as possible felony charges against the pair, however, Borden stated that he welcomes any further information that can be provided about the suspects in this case.

To contact the University of Rio Grande Campus Police Department, call (740) 245-7286.