BRUNSWICK, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Bowdoin college officials say a female student was assaulted near the campus grounds over the weekend. This is the third attack on a student in less than two months.
The Director from the Office of Campus Safety and Security, Randy Nichols, reports early Sunday morning, a female student reported that she was grabbed from behind at 1:40 a.m. by an unknown male assailant on Longfellow Ave., while she was walking alone from the Harpswell Apartments to the Brunswick Apartments.
According to Nichols the student was immediately able to break free from the man, whom she described as white, age 30-35, 5'11" - 6', with very short dark hair, brown eyes, unshaven facial stubble, very slender build, and with what appeared to be a tattoo on his left arm. The suspect wore a black, zippered hoodie with the hood down, a white t-shirt under the hoodie and baggy jeans, the student recalls.
The student, who said she was talking on her phone at the time of the assault, was uninjured physically. She was able to run from the scene of the incident near the intersection of Coffin St. and Longfellow Ave. to the Brunswick Apartments, and was later driven back to the Harpswell Apartments by friends. That's when officials say one of her roommates reported the incident to Bowdoin Security and to the Brunswick Police Department, at approximately 2:17 a.m.
This assault comes after reports of a similar incident on Potter street last month, and a sexual assault at the school's mayflower apartments a week before that. Brunswick police say they don't usually deal with these type of assault cases and are investigating it as a possible trend.
The Brunswick Police Department is investigating this matter with assistance from Bowdoin Security. In the meantime, the schools as members of the Bowdoin community observe these basic safety precautions:
· Be aware of your surroundings;
· Avoid listening to music with headphones or talking on the telephone while walking;
· Walk in pairs whenever possible;
· After dark, walk in well-lit areas;
· Take advantage of the Bowdoin Shuttle (725-3337), which has expanded hours of operation (6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Thursday-Saturday and 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Sunday-Wednesday), and subsidized taxi service through Brunswick Taxi (729-3688);
· Make sure doors and windows are locked and not propped open, especially after dark; and
· Immediately report any unsafe or suspicious activity by calling 9-1-1, Bowdoin Security (725-3500), or by using one of the campus blue light emergency phones.
If you have any information about this incident, call the Brunswick Police Department at 725-6620 or Bowdoin Security at 725-3314.
Student Affairs staff will be on hand tonight beginning at 7:00 p.m. at 24 College Street to meet with students who need support surrounding this incident.
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