A female UC Berkeley student managed to fend off a stranger who tried to rape her as she walked home from the downtown Berkeley BART station, authorities report.
The student is being treated for injuries at a local hospital following the sexual battery, the University of California Police Department reported Saturday.
The sexual battery took place Sunday, Nov. 27, at about 10:30 p.m. UCPD said the exact location has not been determined.
“The victim fought back and managed to get away from the suspect,” UCPD reported. The agency described the incident as sexual assault with the intent to rape.
The assailant was described as a white man in his mid-30s, 6 feet 2 and 220 pounds, with a muscular build, short light brown hair, and “short stubble” facial hair. He was wearing a black baseball cap with a flat bill and “SF” in white stitching, a white T-shirt under a black-and-red-colored flannel shirt, dark jeans and dark shoes.
UCPD was advised about the attack Friday, Dec. 2, by a campus security authority — individuals who are federally mandated to report certain types of crimes they witness or are told about.
Saturday’s alert was jointly released by UCPD and the Berkeley Police Department.
Authorities ask anyone with information about the case to call the Berkeley Police Department at 510-981-5900.
Safety tips from UCPD
Some of these are specifically for the campus community, while others are more general.
- Have a plan for how to get home. Those who are near the UC Berkeley campus can use its free night safety services.
- If you feel you are being followed, cross the street, yell, run and look for a well-lit area or occupied building.
- Report incidents that affect your community even though you may not be the victim.
- Do not delay in calling 911. UCPD strongly encourages the reporting of criminal or suspicious activity in a timely manner to assist in intervening in potential criminal actively and apprehending suspects.
If you have been the victim of a violent crime the following resources are available:
- UC Berkeley Confidential Care Advocate: 510-642-1988, http://bit.ly/careadvocate
- UCB Center for Student Conduct: 510-643-9069
- UCB Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (Title IX): 510-643-7985
- UCB Tang Center Services for Students: 510-642-6074
- UCB Survivor Support Website: http://survivorsupport.berkeley.edu
- UCB Gender Equity Resource Center: 510-643-5727
- Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) 24-hour hotline: 510-845-RAPE (7273)
Have a question about a local public safety incident? Write to crime@berkeleyside.com. Photographs and videos are always appreciated.
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