Man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting Burbank High School students
Police arrested a Glendale man accused of sexually assaulting at least three teenage girls at Burbank High School.
"The Burbank Unified School District takes this incident very seriously and will cooperate fully with the police investigation," said Burbank Unified Schoo District Superintendent Matt Hill. "We are also conducting an internal investigation into this matter. Keeping our students safe is of the utmost importance."
According to the Burbank Police Department, the series of sexual assaults all happened on March 6. When police responded to the high school, a 14-year-old victim told officers that a man approached her in the school's bathroom. He then sexually assaulted her before a short struggle, prompting him to run from the bathroom.
School employees tracked the man, Patrick Nazarian, 22, and detained him until officers took him into custody. Investigators said that the suspect "inappropriately touched" two other teenagers: a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl.
Detectives discovered that Nazarian entered the campus through an unlocked door in the student parking lot. Police have now confirmed that the suspect is a former Burbank High School student, which is how he was aware of the entrance.
"They're usually pretty secure about the parking lot, so I don't know how he could have gotten through," said Carl Angel, a
Nazarian was arrested and booked for kidnapping and sexual assault. He was originally being held on a $1.2 million bond, though after a court appearance Wednesday that amount was changed to $45,000.
Parents and students alike are shaken by the incidents, questioning whether the school's security practices are enough to keep students safe while receiving their education.
"My wife and I, we're concerned. She does comes to school a little early, I guess the biggest thing is them to be aware of their surroundings," said Michael Reyes, whose daughter goes to the school. "I'm sure they need to step their game up and make sure this is more secure for our kids."
Steve Kaufer, the president of Inter/Action, a security consulting group for organizations including local schools, says that while Burbank High does have a plan in place, parents and students should make sure that officials are responsible with those measures.
"Parents have to be aware of the policies and procedures schools put in place," Kaufer said. "They have to hold the school accountable because clearly in this case, something went wrong. The door was left unlocked or unsecured and allowed this person to get in."
During a court appearance on Wednesday, the Los Angeles District Attorney charged Nazarian with sexual battery by restraint, child molestation and battery.
