AUSTIN — The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) released a statement Friday addressing concerns over student safety after a man was arrested multiple times for allegedly assaulting several people on West Campus over the course of three days.
The suspect, 22-year-old Aymen Labidi, was reportedly arrested three times last week for the assaults. According to the statement, after Labidi was released following his first arrest for multiple assaults, he “was able to return to [campus] the next day to continue to threaten and physically assault our students.”
Labidi, who is reportedly known for wearing a full black suit and a white motorcycle helmet, is accused of attacking at least three people Tuesday morning on Guadalupe Street near West 24th Street, KVUE reports.
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“I actually saw the suspected guy just out of my window. I just thought it was odd that he was walking around with a helmet on and like a suit,” UT Austin freshman Ina Weber told KXAN. “Makes me a bit nervous, but I am not too shocked about it. I think a lot of similar incidents happen on Guadalupe.”
Witnesses said Labidi was punching people in the face and groping women as he passed them. As the UT Austin and Austin Police departments responded to one of the incidents, a driver also reported Labidi punched him in the face while he was sitting in his car.
Labidi was eventually detained by Austin Police and charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury and a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held in Travis County Jail.
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In Aug. 2024, UT Austin leaders reintroduced a program aimed at improving safety. The school says it has invested millions of dollars to improve safety on campus and West Campus through lighting, cameras, and additional law enforcement. Although Labidi remains in jail, UT Austin Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said “arrests are not enough.”
“When individuals threaten student safety with violent and criminal behavior, our law enforcement have been steadfast in making necessary arrests to remove these threats,” he continued. “We must be able to work hand in hand with prosecutors and the local judicial system to make sure these offenders stay off our campus.”
According to data from Austin Police, so far this year, there have been 31 assaults within a 2,000-foot radius of West Campus. Three of the assaults were aggravated assaults, meaning a weapon was used or serious bodily harm was caused.
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Interim President Jim Davis said he has since spoken with the Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Travis County Judge Andy Brown about campus safety, noting he is also seeking a meeting with local elected prosecutors. A spokesperson Brown confirmed with KXAN that he had a phone conversation with Davis.
“During that conversation they discussed the recent criminal incidents on campus and the need to address mental health issues that are often underlying factors in similar incidents,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Judge Brown will continue these conversations with President Davis and members of the Texas Legislature to advocate for a mental health jail diversion center that helps meet the needs of the campus community and Travis County.”
