AUSTIN, Texas — A man accused of attacking people at random at the University of Texas at Austin has been arrested.
Aymen Labidi remains in Travis County Jail following multiple alleged incidents that happened this week on West Campus.
Jail records show the 22-year-old Labidi is charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury, along with a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Labidi, who is allegedly known for wearing a full black suit with a white motorcycle helmet, is accused of attacking at least three people Tuesday morning on Guadalupe Street near West 24th Street.
Witnesses reported that Labidi was allegedly punching people in the face and groping women as he passed them. As both UT Austin police and the Austin Police Department responded to one of the incidents, a driver reported being punched in the face by Labidi while sitting in his car.
Labidi would eventually be detained as Austin police discovered a photograph of him that matched the suspect photograph in other alleged assaults provided by campus police. He was then arrested.
What is UT Austin doing about safety in West Campus?
In August 2024, university leaders decided to bring back a program aimed at safety and clean up on West Campus.
The university said it has already invested millions to add lights, cameras and additional law enforcement, and would continue to do “what is necessary” to make sure students live, work and learn in a safe environment.
“When individuals threaten student safety with violent and criminal behavior, our law enforcement have been steadfast in making necessary arrests to remove these threats,” said UT System Chairman Kevin Eltife. “But arrests are not enough. We must be able to work hand in hand with prosecutors and the local judicial system to make sure these offenders stay off our campus.”
The university added that people were rightly frustrated by the incidents since Labidi was able to return to the Drag after his initial arrest for multiple assaults.
Interim UT President Jim Davis said he would ask for a meeting with elected Austin-area prosecutors to find a solution.