A UC Berkeley junior says a man followed her into her off-campus apartment complex on a Tuesday night while she was walking her dog. Eden Winograd told NBC Bay Area that she recognized the man from an earlier sighting near the complex, hurried inside and became alarmed when he followed her toward the building.
What the Surveillance Video Shows
According to NBC Bay Area, Winograd was walking her leashed dog near her off-campus apartment complex when she noticed the same man she had seen a few days before. Surveillance footage reportedly shows her entering the complex's gate with her dog, followed moments later by the man climbing over that same gate and heading in the same direction. The outlet reports the man said things to Winograd as he followed her, though what he said was not detailed.
Winograd told the station that she hurried toward her building after hearing the man behind her, then entered an elevator and became concerned when he approached. She called police, and Berkeley police later released the surveillance video. NBC Bay Area reported that the video had been viewed more than 858,000 times after Winograd posted it to TikTok.
Police Reassess the Object in the Video
Early accounts described the object in the man's hand as a knife, but investigators later determined it was likely a barbecue lighter, NBC Bay Area reported. The reason he was carrying it was not clear. Winograd told the station that the identification did not change her reaction to being followed.
The next day, police responded to a report of a man lying on a sidewalk and determined that he was the same individual connected to an earlier trespassing incident related to the case, according to the report. Police have not released his name. He was described as 50 years old and experiencing homelessness, and officers detained him; the report said he had not been arrested.
Case Referred for Review
Berkeley police have referred the case to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, NBC Bay Area reported. The referral does not establish that charges will be filed, and no further information about the man's identity or the review's outcome has been made public.
Reporting and Safety Resources
According to the UC Berkeley Support Portal, stalking that is not sexual or romantic in nature is prohibited by university policy and California law and is considered a Clery crime; students reporting off-campus incidents can seek UCPD assistance with contacting the local police department. For incidents in Berkeley, the City of Berkeley says to call 911 for emergencies or (510) 981-5900 for non-emergency matters requiring an immediate response.
