Multiple students filed a police report after being victimized by a man in a “baby face” mask on Oct. 4.

Kent State Police arrived at Centennial Court F after receiving a call reporting a man on the second floor who was wearing a baby mask, holding a knife and knocking on doors.

When police arrived, six students and a resident assistant were found by the elevator. According to the students, the man knocked on each of their doors in a threatening manner while holding a kitchen knife. One student also managed to take two short videos of the perpetrator.

According to the police report, no knife can be seen in the videos, and the RA who spoke to the man also said he was empty-handed.

Two of the victims who live together said one of the roommates stepped outside their room, saw the man at the end of the hall and immediately went back inside. The other roommate looked out to see what was happening and the man saw her. He sprinted down the hallway and the girls ran into their room and closed the door. One of the roommates looked out of their peephole and said the man just stood there, until he knocked on the door.

“It’s just scary. You can’t get into the dorm without a card, so who let him in? How did he get to the second floor,” asked one of the victims.

Students in various Snapchat group chats said the man was “wiggling door handles” and that “multiple people [were] getting chased,” including one student who reported being chased up a stairwell.

According to the police report, the RA came out to investigate the noise and saw the man standing in the hallway. The man did not respond when approached by the RA and asked what he was doing. The RA asked if he lived in the hall or dorm; the man still did not give a verbal answer. Then the RA told him to leave, and he did.

After searching the building and the neighboring residence hall, Centennial Court E, the police could not locate anyone matching the description they were given and still haven’t found the man.

“I used to just carry my pepper spray at night,” said one of the victims, “but now I carry it all the time. What if he comes back?”

Four days later, on Oct. 8, a student in a class GroupMe chat said the same man made an appearance in Allyn Hall. According to the student, the man “chased someone,” and police were on scene.

Tricia Knoles, Kent State Police sergeant, said they investigated the incident in Allyn Hall and deemed it to be “Halloween pranking.”

“We encourage our university community to first contact police concerning any suspicious behavior or persons,” Knoles said. “Any person participating in these types of pranks could be found in violation of the Code of Student Conduct or any applicable criminal offenses.”

Genevieve Krejci is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].