Police investigating alleged rape in UC Santa Barbara dorm

May 13, 2026

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

University of California Santa Barbara Police are investigating an alleged rape that reportedly occurred in a dorm on Saturday night.

At about 11 p.m., a caller reported a rape at campus housing to the UCSB Police Department. The suspect and the alleged victim met earlier in the evening at a party in Isla Vista and were otherwise unknown to one another, according to a UCSB Police Department warning sent to the campus community.

Authorities request that anyone who has information that may assist investigators contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446.

UCSB police are reminding the campus community that perpetrators are responsible for sexual assault, while crime victims are never responsible for the actions of perpetrators. Police are also sharing safety tips for preventing potential sexual assaults.

Anyone who starts to feel concerned about a person or situation should trust their instincts and try to remove themselves from the possible threat as quickly as possible, even if it feels awkward to leave, police say. Students who go out alone should make sure someone knows where they are going, who they will be with and when they are expected to return.

Furthermore, police instruct the campus community that, if someone appears to be at risk of assault or abuse, it should be treated as an emergency and one should act to support the person. Call the police or ask for help from other people, intervene directly if safe, or created a distraction to help remove the potential victim from the situation.