Concerns about campus security at a Florida university have been raised following a disturbing incident where a female student was sexually assaulted by an unidentified attacker who reportedly breached the campus perimeter earlier this week.

The troubling events transpired early Sunday morning, around 6 a.m., when an assailant allegedly began harassing the victim, an international student from Colombia, by whistling at her while she awaited a bus near the Florida Memorial University campus in Miami Gardens, as reported by CBS News Miami.

Seeking safety, the student retreated to the university grounds, where a campus security officer verified her student identification and granted her access inside. Unfortunately, the suspect managed to bypass campus security by scaling a wall. According to police reports, he pursued her onto the campus, trapping her against a building door before committing the alleged sexual assault, as detailed by Local 10 News.

This grave incident, occurring on January 25, 2026, has sparked serious questions regarding the effectiveness of the security measures in place at Florida Memorial University, casting a spotlight on the need for enhanced protection of students and staff within educational environments.

An international student was allegedly sexually assaulted by a suspect who scaled a campus wall at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, according to CBS News Miami. (Google Maps)

The suspect immediately fled the area following the alleged attack. 

In a news conference on Monday night, Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt revealed the investigation has indicated campus security guards may have seen the suspect enter FMU’s campus and pursue the victim, but failed to intervene, according to CBS News Miami. 

“That’s what the investigation is showing at this time,” Chief Noel-Pratt reportedly said.

The victim, a student at Florida Memorial University, was reportedly waiting at a bus stop when an unknown suspect began whistling at her. (iStock)

On Tuesday, authorities announced a person of interest who matched the suspect’s description has been detained in connection with the alleged assault, Local 10 News reported. 

According to residents in the area, the man taken into custody has reportedly been loitering around the South Florida neighborhood for several weeks. 

“It fit the description: the black, all-black hoodie,” resident Myra Passmore told the outlet. “It’s the same attire and again, the same individual that I just saw enter the car that pretty much matched that description and it’s the same person.”

Florida Memorial University campus security guards may have seen the suspect enter FMU’s campus and pursue the victim, but failed to intervene, according to CBS News Miami. (Google Maps)

“I feel as though we don’t have enough patrolling over here and I’ve been very vocal about that in the past,” Passmore added. 

Following the incident, Florida Memorial University’s president announced the school would be adding increased security measures, including additional patrols and improved lighting around South Florida’s only historically Black university, CBS News Miami reported. 

The university currently has roughly 1,800 students enrolled in both undergraduate and graduate programs, according to its website.

FMU and the Miami Gardens Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

However, residents believe the response is too little, too late following the alleged attack on an unsuspecting student. 

“We matter. We want protection,” Passmore told the outlet. “We want you to patrol our area, not just when crime happens.”