Akrem M. Elrajoubi, a 29-year-old Portland State University (PSU) student has been accused of sexually assaulting a female student in a campus building on Monday.Elrajoubi faces one count of attempted first degree sex abuse. His arraignment at the Multnomah County Circuit Court is scheduled on Wednesday.
According to Oregon Live, Scott Gallagher, the university's spokesman, said that an unidentified female student approached the campus police around 11:41 a.m., and alleged that a student attempted pulling her into the second-floor women's bathroom of the Extended Studies Building at 1633 SW Park Ave. He also tried to touch her chest as he grabbed her.
During the interrogation, the student described the suspect as white, of Arab descent, with short hair, wearing thin framed glasses, a blue shirt and black sandals. The victim identified the suspect after the police displayed a series of student photographs in front of her.
Elrajoubi denied the allegations of felony sex abuse on Tuesday.
"That did not happen. Maybe she claim it did, but she is liar," Elrajoubi said. "I didn't do that. I just talked to her."
According to Fox 12 Oregon, Elrajoubi said that the student was his classmate and they were just discussing in the hall during a break.
"Nothing wrong happened, actually," Elrajoubi said. "I don't know why she did this, she went to the campus security at PSU."
Even though students have expressed concerns regarding the allegations, Elrajoubi feels that he is not a threat to anyone.
"We went back together to the class and I thought it was normal, but we will see what will happen," Elrajoubi said.
Gallagher said that it's important students report assaults and attempted assaults.
"We're working real hard -- as are a lot of universities -- to make students feel safe and comfortable in reporting incidents of unwanted touching like this incident," said Gallagher . "We can respond, investigate and take appropriate actions."
This incident is the fifth alleged attack on a female student at the campus and the first attack involving fellow students.
"Usually, it's external people in the city that come onto campus because we're right in the middle of a beautiful park and anyone is welcome," said Rachelle Burgess, a PSU student. "I've never heard of it being a student-on-student crime. That seems really uncommon."
