On Sunday afternoon, Oregon State University students received an alert stating that a man had followed a student into a residence hall before trying to gain entry into that student’s dorm room.

According to an email sent out by Public Safety to students just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27, a man had tried to force entry into Hawley Hall, a student residence hall on the OSU campus, earlier that morning. 

The man had “piggy backed” off a student entering the residence hall before him, then, once inside the dorm, followed the student to their room where he tried to force entry. The email did not mention what happened just after this and does not comment on the current state of the student.

The man, identified as Diontoi Snow, 24, had previously been charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass by Oregon State Police but was cited and released. 

However, Snow, who had also previously been seen on OSU property, was quickly banned from campus on Sunday and is not allowed back on university grounds. Public Safety also released a photo of Snow to help students be able to identify him should they see him. OSU students were encouraged to keep an eye out for Snow and to not allow strangers access to their residence halls. 

At 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, students then received another email from Public Safety stating that Snow had been apprehended by OSP and is now in custody facing multiple charges. He also remains banned from campus.

OSP was contacted for further information on the incident but declined an interview on the basis that it’s still an open case. The Corvallis Police, too, declined to comment. 

“Doors to the residential areas within residence halls are locked and require a card key for admission 24/7… we encourage all students and University, Housing and Dining Services staff to use care in entering a residence hall and not allow others to follow or piggy back their entry,” said Steve Clark, vice president for University Relations and Marketing, when questioned about what OSU would do in the future to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.  “Meanwhile, the campus is patrolled by OSU Department of Public Safety staff and OSP. Many other public safety efforts are conducted by the university, including public safety education programs involving students, faculty and staff.”

Clark emphasized that it’s critical that students do not allow strangers into their residence hall to avoid situations such as this. This could pose a potential threat to not only a student’s own safety but to the safety of others living within that residence hall as well. In order to protect themselves, students should be aware of their surroundings and ensure that they are not being followed, Clark said. 

Additionally, while Clark was unable to give specifics about the current state of the student whom Snow followed into Hawley, he did say that, in a case where a student is involved in an incident such as this, the university will always do what they can to help. 

“[We’d] provide support from UHDS staff if a student was a dorm resident,” Clark said, “and we would provide referral and support services, from such programs as OSU’s Student Care Team, assistance from Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Dean of Students Office, or referral to survivor support services both on campus and in the community; if an assault occurs.”