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Apr 27, 2008 6:54 pm US/Central
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Police: Student Raped In 'U' Dorm
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
Police at the University of Minnesota want to know who raped a student at a residence building. They're asking everyone on campus, especially students, to take extra precautions.
The attack happened at about 1 a.m. Sunday on the third floor of Pioneer Hall, which is one of four dorm buildings clustered near East River Road.
University of Minnesota Police want everyone to know about what happened.
"It's scary, because it's so close to me," said college freshman Lindsay Lommel.
She did not see anything suspicious overnight, but she did see something Sunday morning that caught her attention.
"I got on my email, and I saw a police crime alert," she recalled.
The alert went out to every student and every faculty member on campus, and it details the rape that happened about 1 a.m.
According to campus police, a female student was confronted in Pioneer Hall by two men in a stairwell near a third floor men's restroom.
They say one suspect grabbed the victim and pulled her into the restroom. A second suspect held her down while the first suspect assaulted her. Police said the attackers ran and the young woman got help from a friend in the building.
"It wasn't long in duration but it was extremely frightening and serious as you can imagine," said University of Minnesota Police Chief Gregory Hestness. "It's a violent crime."
Hestness is asking for help from the public to find the two men.
"Witnesses have been very important in helping us break cases in the past," he said.
The student did not know the two attackers, but she was able to give police a description of them.
"They're two unknown suspects, seem to be of college age. I don't have reason to think they're students, but I can't rule it out," said Hestness.
He's not yet sure how the men got into the dormitory. Investigators have not found them on surveillance video outside the two main entrances of the dormitory, so now they're checking other cameras on campus.
Investigators think the men might have walked in with another student or slipped through an open door somewhere.
Until University Police catch the men, they're urging everyone on campus to be careful.
"For sure, it's just a wake up call, because it's so close," said Lommel. She's thinking of herself and of the victim.
"Hopefully she's OK and emotionally will be OK," said Lommel.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call University Police at 612-624-COPS or call an anonymous tip line at 612-626-TIPS.
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