TEMPE, Ariz. — A suspect has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted three women in various areas of the Arizona State University campus.
Justin Avery, 29, was detained Thursday afternoon in Tempe outside the campus' Hayden Library after he allegedly assaulted three women he randomly approached within 30 minutes of each other.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: La policía de ASU arresta a un sospechoso acusado de agredir a 3 mujeres en el campus
One of the women told police she had just parked her car in a garage when a man knocked on her window. She rolled down her window and the man allegedly spit on her then grabbed her throat, records show.
The woman reported the man pinning her down to the passenger seat, forcing her to use her knees to press down on her car horn to signal for help. After kicking him in the groin, the assailant walked away, records show.
Another woman reported a man climbing on top of her as she was getting into her vehicle. She got out of the car and the man grabbed her until she fell down to the ground kicking and screaming, records show.
The suspect is facing charges of aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment. Avery is not affiliated with the Tempe-based university. Avery allegedly told police he wanted to have sex with the women and admitted to being a "bit aggressive."
A spokesperson for ASU said there's no longer a threat to the campus community.
Police are continuing to investigate the incidents.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
12News on YouTube
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.