*This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Man or bear? Some RIT Students were forced to answer this question late at night.
On Oct. 29, 2025, deputies located and interviewed the suspect, Mohammad S. Akbari, 33, of Rochester, and charged him with Forcible Touching (Class A-Misdemeanor).
In one incident, the suspect was described as approximately 5’9, weighing 140 pounds, wearing a blue hoodie and khaki pants. In three of the other incidents, the person was wearing a bear costume.
Since Oct. 19, four students reported incidents in which they were approached late at night on campus walkways by a male who asked them personal questions. It is reported that the unknown male also inappropriately touched some of the students.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, working with RIT Public Safety, investigated the incidents, where no injuries were reported. Deputies and RIT Public Safety gathered evidence from pedestrians involved over the past few days to develop a suspect.
Akbari was subsequently banned from all RIT campuses and transported to Monroe County CAP Court to await arraignment.
Reporter Magazine spoke with Stewart Moran, who said he experienced a similar incident to those described by Public Safety. The second-year Film Production student recalled walking back to Park Point after a pep band rehearsal around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 15. He reported an unusual interaction with a man on Lowenthal Road.
Moran said the man jogged past him before stopping near a pond and starting a conversation about birds. He was described as wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, a Jesuit high school hoodie and a baseball cap.
The man began asking personal questions and offered Stewart “$50 an hour” for unspecified work. After declining several times, Moran walked away. “I didn’t get anything malicious from him. I thought he was weird,” Moran said.
He reported the incident to Public Safety after learning that multiple students had described similar encounters. Public Safety accompanied him to identify the location of the incident.
Public Safety reminds students to remain aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity immediately.
