Student athletes showed concern this week over the lack of security on and around campus in the early morning hours, in response to the assault and robbery of Jason Bonitsky (CAS ‘02) Saturday morning. Both Metropolitan Police Department and Department of Public Safety officers took more than half an hour to respond to the incident.
While riding his bike to crew practice at approximately 6:55 a.m., Bonitsky said that he was hit by a van on the Propect Street side of Village A. Three black males from the van then proceeded to punch and kick him and and left after stealing his wallet and cell phone, Bonitsky said. His attackers escaped by driving through campus.
“[The van] sped past me at the intersection between New South and Village C,”he said, referring to the area adjacent to the Department of Public Safety headquarters, located in Village C West.
“I do not know why the van was not noticed by DPS in a review of the surveillance cameras,”Bonitsky said. He added that the delayed response by DPS was complicated by the fact that there was a staff change at 7 a.m., only five minutes after the assault and robbery.
Bonitsky said that he and two of his crew teammates, Jake Hurley (MSB ‘02) and Kevin Feder (SFS ‘02), plan to contact the Athletic Department to raise concerns about the safety of student athletes as they walk to morning practices.
“Although there have always been reports of assaults, muggings and the like, the assault of Jason Bonitsky hit home with many student-athletes that know him,”said Hurley, captain of the men’s lightweight crew team.
“One in eight students at Georgetown is a varsity athlete.?Without adequate protection at during early hours, this is very large group of Georgetown students are put at risk,”Feder said, emphasizing the importance of early morning security on campus.
“In the wake of the assault, Kevin Feder and myself wrote a letter to the DPS stating our concerns and requesting a timely response outlining their plan of action,”Hurley explained.
He said that DPS and the Athletic Department are currently compiling a list of suggestions to expedite the process of putting new safety procedures in place. While the security of all students should be equally protected, Hurley described, it is expected and guaranteed that student athletes will be traveling between their apartments or dormitories early every morning.
“Since we have no other option but to attend practice each morning,”Hurley said, “Georgetown should feel that our safety is its duty.”
