Categories: CampusCityNews

Student’s attacker arrested

After a reported assault on a student Wednesday afternoon, Pitt Police have arrested Jon S. Mattison on one count of indecent assault, one count of unlawful restraint and one count of simple assault.

Police arrested Mattison, a Homestead resident with no University affiliation, for assaulting Pitt sophomore Stephanie Kong. Mattison is a registered sex offender and has an “extensive criminal history” in Allegheny County, Pitt spokesman John Fedele said in an email. According to the Pennsylvania State Police website, Mattison was most recently charged with indecent assault in 2009.

Mattison accosted Kong on Wednesday, April 29 at 1:40 p.m., according to police, at a Port Authority bus stop in front of the William Pitt Union.

Kong, a psychology major, said Mattison approached her after he helped swat a bee that was bothering her at the bus stop. Mattison then hugged Kong several times.

“I didn’t know if he was just one of those people, just being overly friendly,” Kong said.

While hugging her, Kong said Mattison groped her and began asking Kong for directions downtown. He then “forced [Kong] into the bus hub,” Kong said, by grabbing her backpack from behind.

The man left after Kong gave him directions, but returned and started asking her personal information and grabbing her again by her hair. Kong said she struggled to get free and then ran to the Union to call the police.

Fedele said Kong declined treatment at the scene.

Pitt Police cooperated with staff from Allegheny County Adult Probation and Parole to arrest Mattison, Fedele said.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.

Pitt News Staff

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