A Pittsburg man was arrested Monday Aug. 25, after allegedly exposing himself to a female student inside PSU’s Axe Library.
University Police responded to two separate but apparently related incidents the evening of Monday, Aug. 25 involving a man reported to be exhibiting suspicious behavior towards female students near the Pittsburg State University campus.
According to information gathered by University Police Chief Stu Hite, a group of three students reported that a suspicious individual followed them from a nearby convenience store back to campus.
“In the first incident, three Pittsburg State University students reported being followed by a male subject wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt.” Hite said. “The individual was first observed staring at the students while they used an ATM at an off-campus convenience store. He then followed them back to campus, causing concern with his behavior. The students proceeded to the UPD office to report the incident, providing a description of the individual.”
According to a UPD press release, officers identified a subject who matched the description provided.
“Shortly thereafter, a UPD officer observed a male matching the description. Upon being approached and instructed to stop by the uniformed officer, the individual fled. Despite repeated commands to stop, the subject continued to resist. A Taser was deployed to assist in the arrest. The individual was identified as Christopher Wilson, who was found to have an outstanding felony warrant from Saline County, KS. However, further investigation revealed that Wilson was not the individual who had followed the students, despite matching the reported description and attire.”
As officers were taking Wilson into custody, they received another call – this one from Axe Library.
Jozzalyn Duke, a senior studying graphics management and business administration, was working at the front desk of the Axe Library on campus when the incident allegedly took place. Duke said she was alerted when a frantic student ran to her and hid under her desk.
“It was about 7:25 p.m. and I was playing a video on my phone to pass the time,” Duke said. “I look up and I see a woman sprinting at the desk, she rounded the corner around the desk and hid right underneath my feet.”
According to Duke, the frightened witness repeatedly said, “there’s a man, there’s a man,” before explaining that she witnessed a man exposing himself to her, which prompted Duke to call the University Police Department.
“She was in a very panicked state,” Duke said. “I asked her, ‘What do you want me to do, what happened?’ And she said, ‘there’s a man, and he exposed his penis, and he was trying to show me.’ I knew in the moment that she needed help, and that (calling UPD) was the right thing to do.”
Duke said the police response was very fast.
“I saw him walk by the desk as he was exiting the building while I was making the call,” Duke said. “And so, I said, ‘He’s walking towards the stairs on the first floor near the elevator,’ and then I saw a cop car in front of the building just stop, but it was city police, not campus.”
Officers confronted Chase Vandorn in front of the library where he was arrested. According to the UPD, Vandorn was also wearing jeans and a black shirt, and was identified as the man who had been reported following the group of students. Vandorn was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior and criminal trespass. Both Wilson and Vandorn were transported to the Crawford County Jail.
Hite commended the students involved for promptly reporting suspicious behavior and encouraged all members of the campus community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to campus authorities.
Hite also said he was proud of the speed and professionalism of Pittsburg and PSU police officers.
“Our officers acted quickly and professionally to ensure the safety of our campus community,” Hite said. “We are proud of the students who came forward to report suspicious behavior. Their actions helped us respond effectively and maintain a safe environment for everyone.”
Hite also expressed his appreciation for the assistance from Pittsburg Police.
Duke said that there have been other incidents in the library. She speculates that the low number of security cameras in the library limits safety, but she says that can be corrected.
“That’s dangerous and my mom doesn’t really like it,” Duke said. “It’s something we can improve upon.”
The Axe Library is not typically the first place to go in an emergency, but the staff there do know the resources you may need. Dean of Library Services, Dr. Eric Deatherage, encourages students to speak with him as he is “very proactive and wants to hear student concerns and feedback.”
“It’s not the best place to go (in a crisis),” Duke said. “But we do have very friendly people that will always help you and support you if you do need help. We can lead you to the right resources like the Bryant Student Health Center, the on-campus therapy, and the Title IX Coordinator.”
For emergencies, remember to dial 911, for non-emergencies, contact Pitt State Police at 620-235-4624, or go to room 209 in Horace Mann. For the Bryant Student Health Center call 620-235-4452. For Title IX contact Title IX Coordinator Jamie Lynn Blum: titleix@pittstate.edu, 620-238-7675 (text line), or 620-235-4189 (call line).