(This is a developing story. Check back for details.)
Shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, the Florida State University Police Department (FSUPD) released a campus-wide safety announcement after receiving a complaint of sexual battery.
The notice detailed that the incident took place between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, in a residence hall on the east side of FSU’s main campus. At the time of the assault, the FSU vs. Alabama season-opening football game was taking place with thousands of students and visitors on campus.
FSUPD, carrying out its mission of promoting a safe higher education environment for 23 years, said the notice was sent out “in an effort to provide timely and accurate information to our campus community.”
“We generally will not include details … to avoid releasing information that could lead to the identification of a survivor, unless that information is of vital importance to the safety of the campus community,” FSUPD said in the notice.
At this time, FSUPD confirmed that the incident is under active investigation and no additional information has been released.
The FSU Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Issue for 2024-2025 details the crime statistics for the main Tallahassee campus, including sexual assaults and battery, many of which occurred in residence halls.
A survey from the Spring 2016 FSU National College Health Assessment revealed how often such experiences occur among FSU students. The survey disclosed that 2.9% of undergraduates reported experiencing sexual penetration without their consent, 4.8% reported stalking and nearly 7.4% reported being in an emotionally abusive intimate relationship.
This is not the only instance of sexual battery on or near campus. On Aug. 28, a Tallahassee man was sentenced to life imprisonment for two attacks near FSU in 2021. Travis J. Gibson was found guilty of sexual battery and acknowledged that women were “terrified” of him. One assault occurred the morning of Sept. 27, while the victim was walking to a yoga class. The other assault occurred outside of an apartment.
There are various safety resources available to students, such as emergency call boxes across campus, late-night transportation services and confidential support through university counseling services.
The Victim Advocate Program is a confidential resource available to students, faculty and staff 24/7 in the event they or someone they know has experienced a crime.
FSUPD continues to investigate this incident and urges anyone who may have information to contact them at (850) 644-1234.
The FSView will continue to monitor this situation as it develops.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: FSUPD alerts campus community to sexual battery in residence hall
Reporting by Staff Report / FSU News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
