Jacob J. Tarr
Photo courtesy of Notice Board
BY: MORGAN KILGER, NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
State Police were unable to identify a motive behind the forcible touching of an unidentified St. Bonaventure University female student by a Pennsylvania man outside of Francis Hall on Oct. 31.
“He wasn’t a student — he was there to commit a crime,” said James O’Callaghan, a New York state trooper and the public information officer for much of Western New York, including Cattaraugus County. “There wasn’t an identified motive.”
At 1:20 p.m., the alleged victim, 19, was walking into Francis near the Dennis R. Deperro School of Health Professions sign when she was grabbed from behind by Jacob J. Tarr, 30, said Gary Segrue, Bonaventure’s associate dean for Campus Safety.
After fighting off Tarr, she ran up the ramp into the multipurpose room and onto the second floor of Francis, where she reported the attack to an unknown staff member, said Segrue. Around 1:30, the unidentified staff member called campus security to report the alleged attack. Campus security immediately called police.
At 1:31, Tarr departed campus in a dark-blue minivan through campus’ main entrance, according to Segrue. Tarr had parked his minivan in front of Bonaventure’s Garden Apartments before the alleged attack. Tarr’s 1-year-old-infant son was inside the minivan.
Segrue said campus-security officers first responded, interviewing the alleged victim.
According to Segrue, she told security officer that her private parts were touched. She sustained no injuries.
Segrue said that he was proud of the alleged victim and how she handled the situation from start to finish.
“The victim of the crime did an excellent job,” said Segrue. “Not only fighting off the attacker, but was able to provide an excellent description and lead us into the right direction.”
Students and faculty received an alert about the incident at 2:30 from Notice Board and SBU text alerts. After the use of social media and security footage, police were able to identify the perpetrator of the attack.
Tarr, arrested on Nov. 1 by State Police, was charged with forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. Arraigned at Allegany Town Court, Tarr was released on his own recognizance and, according to Segrue, issued an order of protection that bars him from returning to Bonaventure’s campus.
“He [Tarr] has been banned from campus,” said Segrue, “Subsequent visits will have him arrested for trespassing.”
State Police said Tarr’s criminal record includes previous assaults in New York.
At Bonaventure, Title IX and the Clery Act state that fondling is the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or, not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity.
kilgermi22@bonaventure.edu
