The Emory Wheel regularly meets with Emory Police Department (EPD) Records Manager Ed Shoemaker (87G, 90G) and Communications Director of Campus Safety Morieka Johnson (94C, 24L) and uses EPD’s public crime log to inform the Emory University community about recent crime on and around Emory’s campuses.
To report a crime, contact EPD at 404-727-6111 or police@emory.edu.
Criminal theft by extortion attempt, harassment and threats by electronic communication at Eagle Hall
The Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to a student complaint at Eagle Hall around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 22 regarding an extortion attempt involving threats to release nude pictures. The student informed EPD that he had been messaging an Instagram account earlier in the evening, during which he sent sexually explicit photos of himself. The person the student had been messaging then demanded money and threatened to share the photos with others if the student did not comply.
The student was still messaging the Instagram account when EPD arrived, according to Shoemaker. EPD obtained some information about the account and advised the student to cease messaging and block the user. The victim chose to remain anonymous, so EPD is unable to disclose the information collected about the account.
EPD retrieved screenshots documenting the conversation and enough information to refer the matter to the private detectives unit for further investigation. The student did not give the account any money, making the incident a criminal attempt at extortion rather than active extortion, according to Shoemaker. The victim chose not to move forward with an investigation, so EPD did not subpoena the other account for more information.
Unlawful nude, sexually explicit electronic transmission at The Ridge
A student living at The Ridge, an Emory University housing complex for graduate and professional students that opened in 2024, reported unlawful sharing of explicit photos around 5 p.m. on Feb. 22. While at his apartment, the student began having conversations with an unknown account over Telegram Messenger, during which he exchanged sexually explicit messages.
The student continued messaging the account for about an hour and a half and shared nude photos of himself. The user behind the account posted one of these pictures on Facebook, accusing the student of rape, which he denied.
The case is classified as a felony under Georgia law, which prohibits the unlawful electronic transmission of another’s nudes or sexually explicit pictures for reasons including harassment, according to Shoemaker.
Shoemaker said he is unsure if the Facebook post had another purpose besides upsetting the student. EPD is investigating the situation and attempting to track down the user who posted the pictures.
Criminal trespass and property damage at Emory West
EPD responded to a burglar alarm at the Emory Briarcliff campus Building A at about 5:40 p.m. on Feb. 22. When EPD arrived, they noticed a rear side door propped open with a trash can. On closer examination, officers noticed that someone had entered the building by tearing away the plywood used to board up the otherwise inaccessible entrance, according to Shoemaker.
The officers stood by the damaged entrance while one walked around to the other side of the building, where he found three people trying to sneak out of the building. EPD successfully stopped them and discovered the men had no affiliation with Emory.
The trespassers had come to look at the property despite the several signs prohibiting entry. EPD gave them criminal trespass warnings, meaning they are prohibited from returning to the University unless they require emergency medical treatment. EPD contacted Facilities Management to replace the broken plywood and let the men go without citing them for being unauthorized persons on the property.
