ICPD RECEIVES TWO REPORTS OF ASSAULTS OFF CAMPUS
The Iowa City police responded to two reported assaults during the early morning hours of June 7, 2008.
The recent assaults were fewer than five minutes apart and occurred in residential neighborhoods near downtown, according to police.
Officers said they responded at 1:41 a.m. to the first of the two attacks in which a man reportedly made a remark to a female walking east on the 600 block of East College Street.
When the victim ignored the remark and continued walking, the man reportedly jogged toward her, grabbed her from behind, and pushed her to the ground. The woman then struck the suspect in the face and fled east on College Street, authorities reported.
She was uninjured during the incident, they said.
Police described the suspect as a Latino male in his early 20s, approximately 5-9 and 160 pounds, with short hair and an accent. He was wearing a light green polo shirt and jeans.
In a second case, which police said occurred at 1:45 a.m., officers reportedly arrived on the 900 block of Iowa Avenue in response to a possible burglary.
There, a woman reportedly found an unknown male in the bathroom of her apartment upon returning home from downtown, officers said. The man allegedly pushed her onto her bed but fled when she punched and kicked him.
The woman reporting the incident was uninjured, officers said.
Similar to the first incident, police described the suspect as a Latino male with an accent, between 5-7 and 5-8, close to 20 years old, and having short, curly hair. The assailant was reported to be wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans.
UI REPORTS ASSAULT AT HAWKEYE CAMPUS
The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety received a report of an assault that occurred at about 10:10 p.m. Monday night, May 12.
A woman was walking northbound on the Hawkeye Park Road approaching Prairie Meadow Drive when a man walked by her. As they passed, the man tried to grab the woman by her arm and shoulder and pull her into a grass field. She yelled for help and the suspect ran away.
The suspect is described as a white male, in his mid 20’s, thin, with a small thin face, wearing an unknown type of cap, possibly wool. Police do not know whether this incident is related to other assaults in the community over the past year.
The Department of Public Safety recommends that students, particularly women, take precautions by walking with others, especially late at night, and that they take advantage of NITE RIDE, self defense courses and other services available on campus. Information about these services is available on the UI’s Rape Victim Advocacy Program’s Web site at http://www.rvap.org/pages/get_help_now/
Anyone who sees suspicious activity should report it immediately to UI police at 319-335-5022.
This information is being released in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses, including timely warnings of crimes that may represent a threat to the safety of students or employees.
POSTED: May 14, 2008
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Iowa City Police Receives 3 Assault
Reports over April 6-7 Weekend
Iowa City Police received reports from three women who were attacked by unknown men this past weekend.
In the most recent attack, on Sunday around 2:45 a.m., a woman said an unknown man entered her residence on the 400 block of North Dubuque Street and assaulted her.
Women reporting the other two attacks said they were walking outside when their assailants approached from behind.
In one case, on Sunday between midnight and 1 a.m., a woman told police she was walking north on the 200 block of South Lucas Street when a man lifted up her dress, pushed her to the ground, and tried to remove her underwear.
The woman shouted and hit the man, who then fled on foot west.
The victim in the other incident went to the police to report that she had been assaulted around 11 p.m. April 4 while walking south on the 500 block of South Van Buren Street. Her assailant reportedly pushed her to the ground and tried to remove her tights.
She shouted and hit the man, who then fled west between some buildings.
In the most recent incident, the woman said her attacker was a white male in his 30s, between 5-10 and 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, with short dark hair and a goatee. He was wearing a gray long-sleeve shirt with a white T-shirt underneath and dark jeans.
The woman involved in the other Sunday incident said her assailant is a white male, approximately 5-9 inches with a skinny build and brown hair. He was wearing a dark long-sleeve sweater or shirt and a stocking cap.
In the April 5 attack, the woman described the man as a white male, roughly 6 feet tall, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and nylon running pants.
April 7, 2008
SAFETY NOTICE
Over the past year there have been several assaults on women in the Iowa City area. Please remember the following safety tips from the University of Iowa Police.
- Everyone has the right to live free of unwanted attention, harassment, and abuse. You will be safest in well lit areas where there are groups of people. Look and act confident while you are walking, be aware of your surroundings, trust your instincts and don’t be concerned about appearing rude if you feel threatened.
- There is safety in numbers; make it a habit to walk with others.
- If you regularly jog or cycle vary your route and time. Stay on well lit roads and main paths with open spaces where you can see and be seen by other people. Avoid wooded areas and adjust your routine to daylight hours if possible.
- Recognize that the use of a cell phone or personal stereo may distract you from paying attention to your surroundings and persons acting suspiciously.
- Avoid consuming alcohol or other substances that may impair your judgment or your ability to react to a confrontation.
- Let someone know when you are intending to leave and arrive at a particular destination.
- If you think someone is following you go to the nearest place where there are other people and/or a place that is well lit. If you have a cell phone call the appropriate Police Department for assistance: (ICPD (319) 356-5275 or UIPD (319) 335-5022). If you have speed dial capabilities, program these numbers into your cell phone. It is important to know your location when calling anyone for assistance so they know where to respond. Of course, in cases involving emergencies call 911.
- If someone tries to take your property from you remember, your physical safety is more important than any material object.
For information on how UI faculty, students and staff can receive free self defense training please visit the UI Police website addressing Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) training - http://www.uiowa.edu/~pubsfty/radoffers.htm and also visit the UI Police homepage http://www.uiowa.edu/~pubsfty for more information. At our website you will find back issues of the UI Police Crime Prevention Newsletters. Often times doing something to bring attention to the situation can deter an attack. If you are planning on using a whistle or some type of sonic alarm device, it should be readily available. Make certain to use the whistle when there is some distance between you and the assailant (e.g., when you are running away). However, screaming for help and/or shouting “leave me alone” or “call the police” is instinctive and instantaneous.
Although the recent assaults have not occurred on University property, the Iowa City and University Police are working together and consider each report of assault and attempted sexual assault a threat to our community and will be vigorously pursued. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is strongly encouraged to call the Iowa City Police. Any incidents occurring on University property please call the University of Iowa Police. We must work together as a community to stop these and other crimes.
July 23, 2007
Police Seek Help Identifying Suspects
In Sexual Assault and Burglary
The University of Iowa Police Department is investigating a reported sexual assault of a UI student in a dormitory during the early morning hours of Saturday.
The victim reported that the assault took place around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. She said she was sleeping in her Quadrangle dorm room and woke to find an unknown male assaulting her. She noticed two other males in the room before the three fled.
The victim describes the suspects as white males, all possibly having brown hair. One was wearing a white hat. A camera, 2 iPods, an mp3/video player and miscellaneous cards were stolen from the room.
Anyone with information related to the investigation should contact UI Police Detective Terry Bringman at 319-335-5022.
STORY SOURCE: University of Iowa News Services, 300 Plaza Centre One, Suite 371, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2500.
MEDIA CONTACT: UI Police, 319-335-5022.
POSTED: March 3, 2008
