Police in Los Angeles say a Santa Monica man accused of targeting UCLA students now faces a case that exposes how quickly violent crime near campus can spiral into a broader public-safety alarm.
Quick Take
- UCLA police identified Alexander Schecter as the suspect in a March incident involving two female students near campus.[1][2]
- Prosecutors later charged him with kidnapping to commit another crime, first-degree residential robbery, forcible oral copulation, and forcible rape.[4]
- Investigators say evidence also linked him to a separate October 2025 sexual assault in the Palms and Culver City area.[1][3][4]
- Officials say detectives believe there may be additional victims and are asking the public to come forward.[1][2][4]
Campus Arrest and Growing Criminal Case
According to the reports, UCLA Police Department officers arrested Schecter on March 12 after identifying him as the suspect in a March 8 incident in which two female students said a man prevented them from leaving his vehicle near campus.[1][2] The students were reportedly dropped off around 3 a.m., stayed in the car out of fear, and escaped after the vehicle reached another block.[2][3] Police later said Schecter posted bail and was released.[1][2]
The case expanded when detectives say they connected Schecter to a previously unreported sexual assault from October 2025.[1][3][4] Prosecutors in Los Angeles County then charged him with multiple felony counts, and the county said the allegations include great violence, great bodily harm, and vulnerability of the victims.[4] Those accusations matter because they suggest a pattern the public should watch closely, especially when campus-adjacent crimes involve alleged repeat behavior and possible additional victims.[1][4]
What Prosecutors Say Happened
Authorities say the October 12, 2025 incident occurred near Venice Boulevard and Clarington Avenue on the border of Palms and Culver City.[1][4] The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the charges stem from that alleged assault and from the March 8 UCLA-student case, and it said Schecter faces 37 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged.[4] CBS News reported that Schecter pleaded not guilty and remained in custody in lieu of increased bail.[3]
The public record provided here does not include a defense filing or other primary-source rebuttal that disproves the police narrative.[1][3][4] What it does show is that law enforcement moved from an initial campus arrest to a broader prosecution after investigators said they found evidence linking the same suspect to another violent attack.[1][2][4] For readers frustrated by soft-on-crime outcomes, the story underscores a familiar problem: dangerous suspects can move through the system quickly while the public learns about the case in fragments.[1][3][4]
Why Officials Are Warning About More Victims
Detectives say they believe there may be additional victims and asked anyone with information to contact the UCLA Police Department investigations division.[1][2][4] That warning is important because it suggests investigators think the alleged conduct may not be limited to the incidents already described in court and media coverage.[1][4] In practical terms, the case remains open, the allegations remain serious, and the evidence described so far supports further scrutiny rather than casual dismissal.[1][3][4]
UCLA’s police response also highlights a larger concern for families and students: a campus cannot function safely when violent offenders allegedly operate nearby and victims are left to rely on rapid police work after the fact.[1][2] The reports say Schecter has no affiliation with UCLA, which makes the case harder to dismiss as an internal campus issue and easier to view as a public-safety failure that reached into a student area.[1][2][4] Until the case is resolved in court, the central facts remain the arrest, the charges, and the investigators’ warning that more complaints may surface.[1][3][4]
Sources:
[1] Web – Cops arrest UCLA serial assault suspect accused of attacking female …
[2] Web – Man suspected of kidnapping 2 UCLA students and sexually … – ABC7
[3] Web – Man accused of kidnapping UCLA students, sexual assault released …
[4] Web – Alleged predator accused of kidnapping UCLA students, sexual …
