Police Issue Alert After Lincoln Park Sexual Assault

Attack on 2500 block of North Lincoln Avenue follows other warnings from campus officials

Police on Tuesday night issued a community alert warning residents about a sexual assault that occurred the previous weekend in Chicago's north side Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Between late night Saturday and early morning Sunday, a 24-year-old woman said she was walking alone in the 2500 block of North Lincoln Avenue when a man grabbed her by the hand and began fondling her, police said.

The man dragged her into an alley and sexually assaulted her, police said. He then ran off.

He is described as a black man who stood about 6 feet tall. He was between 35 and 40 years old and had a thin build and medium complexion, police said. He was wearing a dark long sleeve shirt and denim pants.

Women in the area tell NBC 5 they are on edge because the area where the attack occurred is a busy bar strip.

"It's pretty popular. You always see lines and sometimes girls leave by themselves, which makes it easy for them to be targeted," DePaul student Dana Gullen said. "I'm always walking right down this road coming home from class. And I have night class, walking home late. It makes me so nervous.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Area North detectives at 312-744-8200.

The attack happened near the DePaul University campus, where officials earlier this week issued a safety alert after a man with a knife reportedly grabbed a woman in the 2200 block of North Racine Avenue and slashed her shirt. In a second alert, campus officials warned of men who were badgering women for their phone numbers.

Police are not saying if they believe the cases are related.

"I see a lot of women joggers around here, and I think they should take better precautions as far as their headphones. Leave one in and one out. You have to be aware because people are crazy out here," Lincoln Park resident Esmeralda Coriano said.

Police are checking businesses along Lincoln Avenue for possible surveillance video that could have captured an image of the suspect. There is a camera located near the scene of the assault, but the owner told NBC 5 that it's broken.

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