WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating a sexual assault and an unrelated battery that occurred early Saturday (Sept. 19).

The sexual assault took place around 1:17 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 19) in the 200 block of University Street. Purdue Police Chief John Cox said a woman reported that she was posing for a picture with a group of friends when a man walked up from behind and fondled her. When the woman screamed, the man released her and left the area heading east.

Officers from the Purdue and West Lafayette police departments arrived and searched the area, including the nearby University Street Parking Garage, but were unable to find anyone matching the description provided by the woman.

The assailant was described as a dark-skinned man with dark, short, curly hair. He was wearing a tight, white, fitted T-shirt and gray pants.

The battery, which occurred in the 300 block of Waldron St., took place shortly after midnight. The victim told police there had been a fight, and he had been hit on the head. Cox said the injuries were minor and that the victim declined medical treatment.

The suspect was described as a white male approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 175 pounds. He had facial hair on the bottom of his chin and short blond hair. He was wearing a white shirt under a black, hooded, zip-up sweatshirt with gold markings on the sleeves, jeans and a teal baseball cap worn backwards.

Anyone with additional information about these incidents is asked to contact the Purdue University Police Department at 765-494-8221.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Two Purdue University students were arrested in connection with an incident in which a handgun was fired into the air at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 19).

Brothers Evan and Alex A. Freese were arrested after an investigation by Purdue and West Lafayette police. Evan Freese, 20, of 241, Apt. 10, Sheetz Street, West Lafayette, faces a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. Alex Freese, 18, also of 241, Apt. 10, Sheetz St., faces a preliminary charge of providing false information.

Officers from the two departments responded to calls about fireworks or shots possibly being fired either in the area of South University and Harrison streets or near Marstellar and Harrison streets. Police were initially unable to locate the source of the sounds, but later received an anonymous e-mail that indicated shots were fired and provided a location.

Purdue Police Chief John Cox said Evan Freese told police he fired several shots from a 9mm handgun into the air from his apartment balcony. Cox said officers recovered firearms and ammunition from the apartment, as well as shell casings on the ground outside the apartment.

“Firing a weapon like this is extremely dangerous,” Cox said. “We were very fortunate that no one was injured.”

Criminal Recklessness is a Class C felony punishable by up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. False informing as a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police arrested a West Lafayette man early Tuesday (Sept. 1) after he allegedly injured an 11-month-old girl in the Purdue Village Apartment Complex hours earlier.

Eric M. Ellis, 19, was charged with battery resulting in bodily injury to a person younger than 14 years old and neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injuries. Ellis, who is not a Purdue student, lives at the apartment with his fiancé, who is the girl’s mother.

According to a police report, Ellis had been babysitting for the child while her mother was attending classes on Monday (Aug. 31). Ellis reportedly sent a text message at about 6:00p to the woman telling her that her child was injured. When the mother arrived home, the couple took her to Home Hospital in Lafayette.

The child’s injuries were not life threatening, but police and Child Protective Services were called to the hospital, Purdue police Sgt. Carrie Costello said.

Battery resulting in bodily injury to a person younger than 14 is a Class D felony, punishable by a maximum three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury is a Class C felony, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University police are investigating the theft of seven laptops from a Stewart Center computer store during the weekend.

The computers were taken from the Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) Offline Shopping Center in Stewart Center. The center is a vendor showcase where customers can examine the latest computer equipment.

The computers were taken from the Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) Offline Shopping Center in Stewart Center, Room G65, sometime after 6:00p Saturday (July 18) and before 10:30a Sunday (July 19), said Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis. The center is a vendor showcase where customers can examine the latest computer equipment.

One of the door’s glass window panes was pried loose, and a note saying “sorry” was left on the wall.

The stolen laptops include a black Dell Latitude D 430 laptop, a red Dell XPS M1330 laptop, a white MacBook laptop, a black Apple MacBook Pro laptop, black Dell Latitude 6500 laptop, a black Dell Latitude 6400 and a silver MacBook Air laptop. The missing computers are valued at $9,965.

Anyone with information can contact the Purdue Police Department at (765) 494-8221 or the anonymous tip line at (765) 496-3784.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue police are investigating a scam in which people are being sent bogus checks with overages to be returned to the sender.

Most of the fake checks, which the sender claims are from the university, have been sent to people across the United States who have posted resumes on Craigslist, said Purdue police Lt. Fred Davis.

Purdue police are investigating a scam in which people are being sent bogus checks with overages to be returned to the sender.

In some cases, either an email or letter has been sent informing a person that he or she was accepted for a work-from-home position with the university and that a check would be forwarded to them. Recipients have been instructed to cash the check, keep a few hundred dollars, and send the remainder from the check back to the sender via wire transfer.

The bogus checks have been usually for $1,200, $1,950 or $2,000, Davis said. People residing in Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, Oregon and Missouri have been recipients, and with the exception of one instance reported to Purdue police, all have posted resumes on Craigslist.

Some of the checks have been sent by certified mail from a post office in Brighton, Colo., Davis said. Some of the checks have listed a Purdue address and the phone number 765-494-4611, which is to a university laboratory. The lab has received several calls, Davis said. He said other universities have reported experiencing the same type of fraudulent activity.

Davis said there are no known cases in which people have cashed the checks and lost money. Anyone receiving a suspicious check should contact the Purdue Police Department at 765-494-8221.