Ty Dille awoke late Friday night to flashing red and blue lights outside his front window.

A grass fire was ablaze at Fairmount Park, which is just across the street from Dille’s home and one block south of the Wichita State campus.

“There was somebody on a stretcher,” said Dille, a WSU senior. “They wheeled her into an ambulance.”

Wichita firefighters responded to reports of a fire at Fairmount Park — at 16th and Gentry Streets  — at 11:20 p.m. Friday night, Wichita police Sgt. Ron Hunt said. That was just hours after WSU fans left campus for the men’s basketball game against New Mexico State.

Within the fire they found a 36-year-old woman with “burns all over her body and severe lacerations to her head,” Hunt said.

The woman was transported to Via Christi St. Francis in critical condition, he said.

“The victim was sexually assaulted, beaten and set on fire,” Hunt said. “Certainly this is an extremely violent crime.”

Police do not have any suspects. Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call 911, Crimestoppers at 267-2111 or the Wichita police department at 268-4181.

‘It’s about the geography’

Just before 2 p.m. Saturday, Wichita State University sent out a crime alert via email, informing students, faculty and staff of the crime. 

Although WSU was not involved in the case, the university sent out the alert because of the attack’s proximity to campus in accordance with the Clery Act, said Wade Robinson, vice president of Student Affairs.

“It’s about the geography of where it happened,” Robinson said. “…Wichita Police Department might be the lead investigator, and there may not be students involved, but if it’s close to campus, we send out the warning.”

This was also the case for two recent battery cases south of campus, Robinson said. 

The university alerted students, faculty and staff of an aggravated battery that occurred just before noon on Oct. 29 in the area across the street from the old Wheatshocker Residence Hall. Two unknown men approached a male — who is not a WSU student — forced him to the ground and took off with the victim’s wallet and phone, according to a crime alert sent on Oct. 31.

Almost two weeks later, another crime alert was sent to students, faculty and staff, informing them of a battery that occurred just after 5 p.m. on Nov. 9 near parking lot No. 24, which is just off 17th Street and across from Sigma Phi Epsilon.

In this case, a male WSU student was approached by three unknown men who attempted to punch the victim in the face.

Both victims received minor visible injuries, the crime alerts state.

“It’s one thing after another,” Dille said.

Repeat offenses

Dille said he’s lived in the area for several years because it’s close to school.

“There is a significant amount of crime here,” he said. His car has been stolen, his garden was destroyed and his neighbor’s cat was killed.

“I’ve thought about (moving),” Gille said. “If I had a girlfriend and kids, I would move out of here. But since I’m a single male, I think I’ll be fine.”

A burnt patch of grass stretched from the swing set to the tennis courts. There was no crime tape to separate lingering residents from the scene Saturday afternoon.

“It’s heart-breaking,” said Cierra Bethea, a high school senior who lives near the park. “It doesn’t make any sense.

“We used to come up here during the night,” Bethea said, pointing at a collection of picnic tables about 40 yards from the burnt patch of grass. “It makes me want to move.”

Wichita State students avoiding the parking fees frequent the area during the week, and a number of them are female students, Dille said.

“I expect this will significantly affect [parking],” Dille said. “I don’t know how many of them are going to feel comfortable walking around here now.”

With the amount of vandalism and muggings in the area, Dille said police still respond well.

“I’ve been really happy with the police,” he said. “They can’t always have a presence 24/7, but they’re always helpful … I know they’re doing what they can.”

Creating dialogue

On Sunday, WSU also released a statement to students, faculty and staff via email, expressing sympathy for the victim and announcing a safety forum on the topic.

“We join the community in being horrified about the sexual assault that Wichita Police reported in Fairmount Park,” the statement reads. “…Our concern is for the victim and for the safety and security of the community south of campus, which includes WSU students employees as residents.”

A discussion on campus safety is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Campus Activities Center Theater. Students and members of the community are invited, according to the statement.

“The thought was that there are going to be questions people have about what’s going on as far as campus security [and] what university police is doing,” Robinson said Sunday.

The university’s Facebook post with a link to the statement received several comments asking the event to be rescheduled so as not to impede with class schedules.

“It’s hard to find the right time for everybody,” Robinson said, but more forums may be scheduled at different times at later dates.

Representatives from the Wichita Police Department will be at the discussion, too, Robinson said, and any updates on the case will be provided.

“It’s an opportunity to dialogue,” he said. “To just have general conversation.”