Students express safety concerns after U of M dorm attack

'It just was really terrifying' Students at the U of M are on edge after a woman was attacked in her dorm room Friday. CTV's Alexandra Holyk reports.

An assault on a woman at a University of Manitoba dorm room has left students on edge.

The student, whom CTV News is not identifying, said she woke up in her Dafoe Road dorm room to a bang around 4:30 a.m. Friday. She said an unknown man entered her room and began assaulting her. She fought back and escaped, banging on doors in the hall. When no one came out, she pulled the fire alarm.

First-year student Kaitlyn Podolchuk said the news about the assault was “very frightening and disturbing.”

“How they’re so easily able to get into someone’s room, it just was really terrifying,” she said.

Podolchuk lives in the building where the incident took place. She said she heard the fire alarm go off, but didn’t know why. It wasn’t until hours later that she heard about the attack.

“It just makes you wonder about the level of security in the building.”

Since Friday’s incident, the U of M said it has amped up campus security.

“Effective immediately, we have added 24/7 security to the lobby of each residence building on a 24-hour basis,” said Naomi Andrew, the university’s vice president of administration.

The new measures are in addition to others already in place leading up to the assault.

“It was a forced entry,” Andrew said about the attack. “So a forced entry break-in. We do have patrols going through campus, but we did not have someone securing those exact doors.”

Premier Wab Kinew said his government is aware of the incident and has been in touch with university administration.

“We’re looking at, is that going to be good enough? Or is there more that needs to be done here?” Kinew told reporters Monday.

To help ease safety concerns, the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) said it’s looking to expand the self-defence classes it offers.

“Given that now this is a reality of a student, we don’t know when this could happen again,” said UMSU president Divya Sharma.

Podolchuk said she hopes it doesn’t happen again and is taking precautions to prevent it.

“Something like this should not happen again,” she said. “We should be ready for anything at any time.”

Late Friday night, Winnipeg police arrested a suspect.

Garry Edwards Jr., 46, was charged with three counts of break and enter with intent, sexual assault, robbery, and overcoming resistance by attempting to strangle another person.

None of the charges have been tested in court.

Edwards is a convicted sex offender. He was released from prison in November 2023 after serving a 12-year sentence for randomly attacking two women on the same day in April 2012.

He was detained in custody.