UT Austin leaders say ‘arrests are not enough’ after man continues to terrorize people on the Drag

The Brief

• Former UT Austin student is facing several criminal charges

• He was accused of threatening to blow up c.jane, a boutique on the Drag

• Some are concerned on why the former student keeps being released from jail

AUSTIN, Texas – A man accused of threatening to blow up a boutique on The Drag near the UT campus has been arrested again.

Aymen Labidi is facing nine criminal charges. He is currently being held in the Travis County Jail on a $30,000 bond for three misdemeanor charges.

Now, UT Austin leaders are calling out prosecutors and the judicial system, saying in part, “arrests are not enough.”

They claim Labidi was released the day after his arrest for multiple assaults on the Drag.

c.jane owner speaks on her experience

Local perspective

“I've had a lot of things happen down here, and mostly I can handle them. What's happening lately feels very different and feels very unsafe,” c.jane owner Kat Key said.

c.jane has been on The Drag for 20 years. Key has seen, heard, and experienced a lot. She said the last couple of years though it's all ramped up.

She said one instance in particular terrified her.

In September 2024, a man walked into Key’s boutique wearing two backpacks, one in front and one on his back.

“He appeared to be talking into a receiver in his ear, looking into his phone, speaking to someone. I don't know if there was actually someone there or not, demanding a Wi-Fi password and threatening to blow the store up. I've never really experienced anything like that and I really thought that's what was going to happen,” Key said.

She demanded he leave. He then made his way down to other businesses on Guadalupe Street, threatening people inside.

Labidi was arrested. He posted bond and was let out under the conditions he stayed away from the victims and stayed at least 200 feet away from the store.

However, he hasn’t followed those conditions.

Soon it won’t be Key’s problem anymore. She is closing her doors.

“I'm closing, I’m closing the store. There were several factors, but safety is a big one,” Key said.

She said she just can’t do it anymore.

“At this point, it's just best to close the doors and hope for the best, and hope somebody can change the outlook of the drag going forward,” Key said.

Who is Aymen Labidi?

Dig deeper

Wearing a suit and white motorcycle helmet with a blacked-out visor, Labidi is reportedly punching random people and groping women on The Drag.

“Why is it okay that he is still committing crimes within that area, violating the bond and what is the accountability for that?” SafeHorns President Joell McNew said.

Labidi was a student at UT from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2024. April 2024 is when he first entered into the criminal justice system.

“He has continued to come right back out and do more criminal activity, negatively impacting the neighborhood,” McNew said.

“Students are in danger, we're in constant fear down here, and I just wish somebody would take it seriously,” Key said.

What they're saying

The Travis County Attorney’s Office released a statement on the incidents:

“There are often misconceptions about how the criminal justice system works. A defendant can be released while a case is working its way through the system by either paying a bond or being released by a judge. We are actively working all the cases on this individual and can’t comment further at this time.”

UT Austin also released a statement:

“Our highest priority at The University of Texas at Austin is the safety and security of our students. Ensuring their safety on and around campus matters.

Under the leadership of Chairman Kevin Eltife, the Board of Regents has invested millions of dollars to improve the safety of campus and West Campus through infrastructure like lights, cameras, and additional law enforcement. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to make sure our 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. 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,' stresses Chairman Eltife.

UT families, students, faculty, staff and visitors are rightly frustrated. The most recent example is a violent offender who was arrested three times over the last three days. Upon release after the first arrest for multiple assaults, he was able to return to the Drag the next day to continue to threaten and physically assault our students.

‘This must change. Today, I spoke with the Mayor of Austin and the Travis County Judge, and I am seeking a meeting with our local elected prosecutors.  We must find a solution. Our students and their families are counting on it,' urges Interim President Jim Davis.”

The Source

Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis