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Another Groping Reported Near DU Campus

By Melissa Garcia

DENVER (CBS4) - Students and staff at the University of Denver are on alert after two young women were attacked near campus.

In the latest attack, officers say a man in a black hoodie grabbed a female student from behind and fondled her early Sunday morning near Asbury Avenue and South Josephine Street.

DU GROPING
(credit: CBS)

A DU spokesperson said campus security officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.

Authorities were unsure as to whether the suspect in Sunday's attack was the same man who assaulted another student in the area last week.

The incidents have left some students feeling nervous.

"Frightened," said DU student Kali Crossen, who avoids walking alone at night.

"I live off campus, so I do have to walk on the side streets," said Crossen. "So it even comes down to scheduling your classes so that you don't get out when it's dark."

Around 3 a.m. Sunday morning, a female student was just a couple blocks off campus when a male suspect grabbed her from behind, fondled her, and took off running down Josephine Street.

Just four days earlier, a similar encounter happened blocks away to another female student who was assaulted while walking home alone from campus.

"He approached her, grabbed her, and took off running," said Theresa Ahrens, Communications Manager for the University of Denver. "We do know that that suspect was college-aged, about 6 feet tall, light-skinned, and was wearing a hat with flaps over the ears."

"It's definitely scary," said DU student Bethan Jenkins. "Especially since we walk around the campus all the time, and you kind of just never know what's going to happen."

Jenkins and her friend Ellen Choquette said the recent attacks have made them more cautious when coming and going.

"People are starting to take more Ubers home just because that is (safer)," said Choquette. "Just more travelling in groups, and being more aware of our surroundings."

The university sent out an alert to students urging them to call campus security when in doubt for their safety.

"We always want to remind our students that whether they're on campus, leaving campus, or coming to campus, it's always great if they can travel in groups if possible," said Ahrens. "And if not, we do have a campus safety escort that they can call at any time."

Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.

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