Police Warn Of Sexual Assaults Near UC Campus

[I'm going to say that these kind of things are probably "normal" for a university campus environment or for cities in general. But this is such a scary thing]

BERKELEY -- Police have issued a warning for young women in Berkeley after two UC students were victimized by a brazen rapist in recent weeks.Neighborhoods around the UC campus are relatively quiet these days; school hasn't started yet and most students are relishing their last few days of summer.But police want women to be on alert for a rapist who has struck twice in the past month. Both of the rapist's victims were UC students.Students KTVU spoke with Wednesday hadn't heard about the attacks, but said the alert issued by police has them concerned"That's pretty scary! It's such a college town; you feel like you're safe," said one student.The first attack occurred on July 6th at around 3 p.m. On the south side of the campus in the 2500 block of Hillegass Avenue. The second assault took place on August 2nd at approximately 6 p.m. in the evening several blocks away on the 2100 block of Haste Street.Police say both times the attacker entered a multi-unit apartment building and found his victim in the lobby. Investigators say the man was not armed and that the rapes happened in or around the common area near the entrance."It appears the way he works, is to act fast. The attack happens quite quickly," explained Berkeley Police Sgt. Mary Cusmiss.The victims told police the rapist was an African-American male in his late 20s with a dark complexion. They said he is between five-eight and six feet tall with a thin build, a clean appearance and shoulder-length dreadlocks or twists.Berkeley police are working on a sketch and hope to release it to the public in the coming days.Police are warning all women -- not just those living in the UC campus area of Berkeley -- to be aware at all times.Berkeley police say so-called "stranger rapes" are far rarer than "acquaintance rape" which is more prevalent on or near college campuses.