An unknown male assaulted a woman in a Slater Hall men’s restroom during the early hours of Oct. 15, police have reported.

According to UI police reports, the woman went into the men’s restroom on the ninth floor of Slater around 3 a.m. The woman reported she was using the restroom when two men walked in. She told officers they turned off the lights and one of them grabbed her, pushing her against the wall as she left one of the stalls. The suspect is described as a white male, average height with darker hair.

As he was doing this, he reportedly made sexual comments to her. The woman was able to escape without injury.

UI police are investigating the case. Charles Green, the assistant vice president for the UI police, said he was unable to comment because the matter was still under investigation.

According to officials, men’s restrooms in the residence halls are generally left unlocked while women’s restrooms require a key to access.

“Historically, there has been a lot of vandalism and damage to the men’s restrooms,” said University Housing Director Von Stange. “Doors have been damaged because residents try to get in without a key.”

Kate Fitzgerald, an assistant director of Residence Life, said the locks on the woman’s restrooms have been there for years.

The men’s restrooms had been locked in the past, but the locks were removed after many floor residents asked to have them taken off, Fitzgerald said.

However, some men’s floors throughout the residence halls have locks on the facilities because they requested to have them reinstalled, Fitzgerald said.

News of the incident was unnerving to some Slater residents.

“I was appalled [when I found out],” said UI freshman Garth Boldman. “It’s scary knowing it can happen in my residence hall.”

UI freshman Samantha Olis said the incident has made her more cautious.

“I’ve gone to the bathroom in boys’ halls before,” she said. “But after this, I don’t think I’ll do it again.”

Olis said to prevent the incident from happening again, the restrooms in the men’s halls should be locked. But some male residents said that wouldn’t help.

“It’s a lot easier that the boys’ restrooms are unlocked,” Boldman said. “I don’t think that’ll prevent it. It’s more on the people involved than the university.”