May 12, 2008 6:15 pm US/Central
Police: 'U' Student Sexually Assaulted In Dorm Room
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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Police said the victim was asleep in her unlocked dorm room in Middlebrook Hall when she woke up feeling someone touching her.
CBS
An 18-year-old University of Minnesota student reported a criminal sexual assault early Sunday morning in her campus dorm room, according to University of Minnesota Police.
Police said the female victim was asleep in her unlocked dorm room in Middlebrook Hall when she woke up feeling someone touching her. When the victim awoke she saw the suspect flee from the room.
This is the third assault to happen on or near the University campus is the past three weeks. The first assault happened on April 27 at Pioneer Hall on the East Bank of campus. A second assault occurred on May 4 at an off campus apartment in the Como neighborhood.
According to campus police, the victim in the Middlebrook Hall assault was not able to provide a description of the suspect. The victim's roommate was also in the room but did not wake up during the incident.
This alleged sexual assault happened in a dorm that houses lots of honors students, a place most describe as safe.
"Not everybody is truly good and it's kind of a terrifying reality to have to face a little bit," said Junior Marie Youngkrantz.
"It's becoming more real to them and like it's an actual possibility and not just the third person affect," said Freshman Lauren Lammers, who is taking a car to an event that she normally would have walked to.
Police are warning students to be smart. They say there are between two and six sexual assaults reported on campus each year.
While most assaults involve people who know each other, investigators say these three cases appear to involve strangers, which is rare.
Freshman Shanna Holmes lived on the same floor where Sunday morning's assault happened. And like the student involved she admits she doesn't always lock her door at night.
"I just never thought it was an issue before," said Holmes. "Now I will probably lock it."
"I always lock the door when I'm sleeping. I try to shut the door in people's faces when I'm coming home at night when they don't have a card," said freshman Maggie Williams.
There is security at Middlebrook Hall and students need an ID card to enter, but students are learning they play an important role in that security.
"I really hope people learn from this. It's just not right," said Sophomore Mihir Pendurkar.
Campus police said they are looking at surveillance videos but because this latest victim didn't get a good look at her attacker, they can't say for sure if any of these assaults are related.
Before finals week ends, dorm residents are already starting to move out.
"I'm glad to be leaving now. It's good timing," said Williams.
Just because students are moving out of the dorms doesn't mean they'll be empty until next fall. There are summer school students, high school sports campers and freshman orientation attendees who will be rooming in them all summer.
That's why the University is continuing to add security cameras alarms.
Campus police are also asking students to take responsibility for their personal security.
"We can't be every place at every time obviously, so we need the community's help to keep the community safe," said University of Minnesota Police Lieutenant Chuck Minor.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the University of Minnesota Police Department at 612-624-COPS.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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