UPDATE: Manhunt Continues In State College
By: Aaron Cheslock
Updated: December 14, 2012
STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Police in State College are still on the lookout for a man accused of slitting a Penn State grad student's throat.
It happened around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon on a bike trail near Sunset Park. A man allegedly attacked a 40-year-old grad student with a knife and cut her neck. She was able to bite his hand and get away. The woman was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center. She was treated and released last night. But the attacker is still at large.
Penn State University Police are now the lead on the investigation. Ferguson Township Police were originally handling the case. When they revisited the crime scene with the victim, they determined it was on Penn State property. While the manhunt continues, residents and students have to live their lives looking over their shoulder.
Aaron Snyder rides the trail by Sunset Park every day to and from work. He says one random act of violence won't change his routine.
"I don't think it's really something that happens often enough to change your life, you know? Change the way you do things..."
Tylor Mutton lives in Lions Crossing, across the street from the trail. He walks it going to and from class. That's not unusual as lots of students use the trail as a shortcut. Mutton says he's worried, but aware.
"I'm going to take extra steps to make sure I'm safe... When I'm walking the trail specifically, I'm not just going to walk and not know what's going on around me for sure now."
Penn State Senior Hila Aronson lives in student housing on Vairo Boulevard. She takes the bus to and from school. Sometimes, she's alone while she waits, right across from the crime scene.
"It's just really scary; it makes me not want to walk by myself at night..."
With an attacker on the loose, Aronson says it's not going to make her change her plans. But she might plan, a little differently.
"My roommate and I actually drove to the gym instead of walking even though we were in our complex, just because it was so recent... We were scared to walk by ourselves to the gym."
Penn State Police have updated their description of the attacker.
He's described as a white man, around 5'8", with a slim to medium build. He was wearing all black clothing, a black puffy jacket, black knit hat, and was carrying a black backpack. He also has facial hair.
Police are stressing that he could have a bite mark on his hand where the grad student bit him. Police are asking anyone with information to call 911 immediately.
