Arrest made in September 2022 sexual assault investigation

The Iowa City Police Department has made an arrest in the Sept. 6, 2022 sexual assault that occurred on the 600 block of South Lucas Street. 

Asante Walker-Garcia Adams, a 25-year-old from North Liberty faces the following charges:

• Second-degree Sexual Assault (two counts)
• Second-degree Robbery
• First-degree Burglary

Charges can be viewed here. 

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Iowa City Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the North Liberty Police Department, Johnson County Attorney's Office, Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Linn County Sheriff's Office, University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Police Department, Cedar Valley CrimeStoppers, Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Major Crime Unit, DCI Sex Offender Registry United, and the DCI Criminalistics Laboratory. 

To report additional information about this investigation, please contact Detective Jennifer Clarahan at 319-356-5284 or email clarahan@iowa-city.org. 

Additional resources are available for crime victims at https://www.icgov.org/victimresources. 

Read full release here.

Iowa City Police investigate sexual assault

At 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, Iowa City police responded to a residence in the 600 block of South Lucas Street for a report of a sexual assault.

This incident is under investigation and police are seeking the public's help in identifying the person depicted in this doorbell video. Anyone with information related to this incident or the person of interest in the video is asked to contact the Police Department using the information below.

Safety tips

The Iowa City Police Department encourages all community members to remain vigilant and take the following safety recommendations whenever possible:

• Keep your doors locked, even when you are at home.
• Use curtains or blinds on your windows to protect your privacy.
• Never answer the door for a stranger. 
• Walk in groups of two or more when leaving from or returning to your home. 
• Do not leave items of value out in plain sight. 

How you can help:

This incident is being actively investigated by the Iowa City Police Department and we are asking the public for assistance. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Iowa City Police Department at 319-356-5275. In addition, anyone in that area with security cameras is asked to review their recordings and contact the Iowa City Police Department with any potential footage or information about this incident.

Iowa City Area Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information about this incident that leads to an arrest. Crime Stoppers tips can be submitted via the P3 Tips app, online at iccrimestoppers.org, or by phone at 319-358-TIPS (8477). All tips and calls are held in strict confidence and anonymity is guaranteed. Individuals providing information are not required to reveal their identity to collect a reward.

HAWK ALERT: ICPD continues to investigate. No suspect identified. Remain vigilant, report suspicious activity, and resume normal activity. More at e.uiowa.edu.

Campus Safety Services

The only person responsible for a crime is the perpetrator. The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety is providing the following safety tips and risk reduction strategies in an effort to assist the university community with taking the necessary precautions.

• Strongly consider using campus safety services such as Nite Ride (free, late-night transportation service) and Rave Guardian (which allows you to request a guardian to monitor your walk by GPS). 
• Be aware of your surroundings, especially when walking during the late night and early morning hours.
• If you believe you are being followed, quickly run/walk toward other people or enter an establishment and immediately call 911.
• Never risk injury for material items. Give them up immediately if you are threatened with physical harm.
• You are under no obligation to communicate with strangers; don’t be concerned with appearing rude if you feel vulnerable.
• Keep your door locked at all times, even if you are only leaving for a short time or sleeping
• As a bystander: If you feel uneasy about a situation, trust your instincts and attempt to interrupt the chain of events. Being an active bystander doesn’t require that you put yourself at risk. Call 911, and, if practical, attempt to record pertinent information (description of the offender, distinguishing features, location and direction of travel etc.) 
• Report any suspicious activity to police immediately, by calling 911.

SITUATION UPDATE: Law enforcement continue to investigate this incident. Please remain vigilant, report suspicious activity, and use campus safety services. 

 SITUATION UPDATE: Officers are in the area investigating. Please remain vigilant, avoid the area, and use campus safety services.