Saturday, May 17

UCPD arrests man who inappropriately grabbed UCLA student


(Courtesy of UCPD)


This post was updated March 29 at 2:02 p.m.

This post and headline were updated March 29 at 8:26 p.m.

University police arrested a man Wednesday night who allegedly sexually battered a UCLA student at the Luskin School of Public Affairs on Friday afternoon.

Babak Rahimzadeh, 54, grabbed the student inappropriately near the third floor women’s restroom after she gave him directions to the men’s restroom at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a UCPD alert.

UCPD contacted Rahimzadeh by phone and asked him to come to the police station, where officers took him into custody at about 7 p.m., said Lt. Mark Littlestone.

Rahimzadeh was charged in thee sexual assault cases in Toronto in 2009. UCPD issued a sexual battery crime advisory in Berkeley for a man matching Rahimzadeh’s description earlier this month. The sexual battery occurred at Berkeley City College.

UCPD described Rahimzadeh as Middle Eastern, 185 pounds and 5 feet, 8 inches tall with brown hair. He was last seen wearing a blue polo shirt, blue jeans and an olive green track suit.

Anyone with information about this case can call UCPD at 310-825-1491 or Detective Jeffrey Chobanian at 310-825-9371 and reference report number 17-0661.

Contributing reports from Ryan Leou, national and higher education editor.

Editor in chief

Preal is the editor in chief of The Bruin. He was previously the assistant news editor for the city and crime beat and a news reporter for the city and crime beat.


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