COLUMBUS, Ohio — Safety is always a topic on and near The Ohio State University campus.
Nancy Pawar, the mother of a freshman student at Ohio State, said when she heard about an assault that occurred this week in the University District, she got frustrated.
“This was just another incident that occurred. I was shocked, but again not surprised at the same time. This has been going on since September,” said mother Nancy Pawar.
According to the Columbus Division of Police, around 11:40 p.m. on Monday, a man was assaulted on East Frambes Avenue. The police report said three unknown suspects approached the man then began to punch him, and was kicked multiple times. Those suspects left the scene before police arrived.
A lot of students at the university live on the street where the assault happened.
“I think it was scary because I’m still walking around at 11 p.m. We are both still coming home from stuff, or walking home late at night. It’s kind of scary that it happened that early at night, and people are getting attacked,” said Claire Studenka, a senior at the university.
With thousands of people in town for Ohio State's homecoming, security is top of mind for many. Law enforcement will be monitoring traffic, and the air above the stadium.
“We have air monitoring devices set up around the stadium. We constantly have the ability to see what the air quality is like,” said Tom Novotny, director of Environmental Affairs.
Fans will continue to go through metal detectors when entering the stadium, and the no-bag policy remains.
Pawmar said she wants the city of Columbus and university administration to step up and make sure students are safe.
“This should fall on the mayor, the town, the city council and Ohio State administration. They need to do better to protect these students,” said Pawar.
The Ohio State Police Department and Columbus police increased patrols in and around campus after an incident in September.
A spokesperson for OSUPD released a statement saying crime has steadily decreased in the last few years and Ohio State has increased sworn police and now has 75 police officers within the department.
The agency also said OSUPD and Columbus police regularly share crime information and discuss crime trends off-campus as the two have a joint patrol program with four OSUPD officers and Columbus police officers.