A 20-year-old Pitt student is facing charges of strangulation and simple assault after allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend in his room in Lothrop Hall in late August.
Brock Salvatore was arrested by Pitt police shortly after 4 a.m. on Aug. 23 and charged with one count each of strangulation, unlawful restraint and simple assault.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Pitt police officer Adam Dimit on Aug. 23, Dimit and two other Pitt police officers responded early in the morning to a call from Salvatore, who claimed he was concerned about the well-being of his ex-girlfriend, Pitt student Olivia Lombardi, after a visit she made to his room in Lothrop Hall between 2 and 4 a.m.
When Dimit interviewed Lombardi, according to the complaint, she informed him that she had gone to Salvatore’s room to confront him about certain personal issues and that the situation began to escalate. When she tried to leave, Lombardi told Dimit, Salvatore grabbed her arm, slapped the side of her face and put his hands around her neck, preventing her from breathing.
Dimit noted that there were no visible marks from the slapping or choking at the time he spoke to Lombardi. Lombardi told Dimit that Salvatore had exhibited similar behavior before, though not as severe.
Police performed a lethality assessment and determined that Lombardi was not in a high-danger situation. She was offered alternative housing, but declined.
When The Pitt News reached out to Lombardi, she gave permission for her name to be used, but declined to comment further. University spokesman Kevin Zwick said Pitt is unable to comment on individual student disciplinary matters.
Salvatore posted nonmonetary bail on Aug. 23, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. Thursday. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
For information about seeking help if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, visit the Pitt police’s victim services page or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
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