The University of Mary Washington is offering a reward for information that leads to the successful arrest and conviction of a man who attempted an armed assault on a community member jogging at the institution’s athletic fields July 10.
The $1,000 reward will be funded with non-state dollars and will be administered by the Fredericksburg Police Department. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call the Fredericksburg Police Department at (540) 373-3122.
“The University of Mary Washington is committed to the safety of our students and our neighbors,” said spokesperson Teresa Mannix, director of news and public information. “We hope that this reward will encourage people with information about the suspect to come forward. In the meantime, we will continue to do what we can to assist with this investigation.”
On the morning of July 10, a local woman jogging on a trail at the Battleground Athletic Complex, located a block away from the academic campus, was assaulted by a male with a handgun. He pushed the victim into the bushes and attempted to tie her hands. The victim resisted and the assailant ran from the scene on foot. He was seen leaving the scene in a mid-sized black SUV with a side-mounted rear light assembly with black vinyl taillight decals. The victim was not harmed physically.
The suspect is described as a white male with a pale complexion in his late 20s, 6’2” and 250 pounds with very short hair and curly bangs. The suspect was wearing black shorts and a white t-shirt. He was armed with a handgun and is considered very dangerous.
The University of Mary Washington continues to make the safety of the community its first priority. Since July 10, the UMW Police Department, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has increased patrols around the university and has heightened security. Fredericksburg Police and other jurisdictions also continue increased patrols of the area.