Attempt of sexual assault reported near the University of Minnesota – Story

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The police of Minneapolis is investigating an attempt of sexual assault that took place the dawn Friday at the University of Minnesota

At around 6 am, officers responded to an attempted sexual assault and kidnapping near the 600 block of 8th Street Southeast, according to police.

Authorities say the victim, a U de M student, was walking towards the bus stop when the suspect passed it, turned it around and fumbled for it, trying to push it into the nearby bushes. The victim screamed and was able to escape while the suspect fled into the neighborhood.

No weapons were involved or observed. The victim describes the suspect as a man, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, dressed in black and smelling cigarettes.

Officers say that this type of incident is rare in the area and that they will be placing additional patrols near

Police are distributing flyers in the area and knocking on doors to warn the public and share personal safety messages . Anyone who has information about the incident should call the Minneapolis Police Department at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) and the case reference number UM-2019-037495.

The University offers a variety of services and resources for students on the Twin Cities campus, including:

Campus Accompanist Service: This service is available 24/7 by calling 612-624-WALK . You can learn more about this in the link above. Here are additional safety tips for pedestrians.

Gopher Chauffeur: This is a service that offers safe trips home for Twin Cities students. Learn more in the link above. There is additional information on transportation safety here.

Public Safety: This website provides additional information on public safety on the Twin Cities campus.