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Police Search For Sex Assault Suspect After Attack Near CSU Campus

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Fort Collins are searching for a sexual assault suspect after a woman was attacked near the Colorado State University campus.

The attack happened just after midnight, about 12:15 a.m. Saturday in the area of 100 West Lake Street, which is adjacent to the CSU campus.

The victim is a 22-year-old CSU student. She told police she was approached by an unknown male while she was driving westbound on West Lake Street. She was alone in the car.

According to the victim, the suspect waived her down while he was standing on the south side of the road. He approached the driver's side of her vehicle and opened the door. Police said he had a knife and physically removed the woman from the vehicle and pulled her to the side of the road near the railroad tracks. That's where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim was able to fight off the suspect. She bit his left shoulder and scratched his forearms. The suspect then ran off in an eastbound direction from the area.

Police said the victim had not been stabbed or hurt with the knife.

The suspect is described as an African American male, early 20s, 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11 with acne on his face. He has an average to muscular build with short curly black hair. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with an unknown design on the front and dark jeans.

The victim gave police the description and they were able to complete a composite sketch of the suspect.

CSU student Kenna Chapman woke up to this text only 5 minutes after a woman was sexually assaulted.

"It's definitely hard hearing that, knowing it's someone from our community and could've been me or many of my friends as well," Chapman said.

CSU Police responded to a sexual assault near the same area on Oct. 24. Although the suspect descriptions are different Fort Collins police are working with CSU police to determine if the cases are connected.

"We are on very high alert looking at these situations," CSU spokesman Mike Hooker said. "We need to really take personal safety seriously, even in places we think of as being relatively safe. And so go in groups, find a friend to walk with you if you're going somewhere, keep your car locked as you're driving, and keep your windows up."

Additional Information Form Fort Collins Police

Anyone with information about this incident or the suspect should contact Fort Collins Police Detective Marty Shaw at 970-221-6577, or Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 where you will remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward. Crime Stoppers may also be reached at www.stopcriminals.org.

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