A man sexually assaulted a University of Wisconsin-Madison student Sunday night in a student-populated neighborhood on North Brooks Street, according to police.
Two men approached the 19-year-old female victim as she walked on North Brooks Street between Fahrenbrook Court and Spring Street, according to the report. One of the men pushed her to the ground and sexually assaulted her.
Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said the two suspects, both 20-years-old, ran south on North Brooks Street after the woman yelled and used her knee to hit the suspect in the groin.
Both suspects were white with short brown hair, six feet tall and approximately 180 pounds, according to the report. The victim told police the second suspect was not involved directly in the attack.
While a very serious incident, sexual assaults by strangers are infrequent occurrences and do not happen regularly in this area, according to DeSpain.
“Stranger sexual assaults are very rare,” DeSpain said. “In off-campus areas south of Regent, we often see residential burglaries and thefts.”
The night after the sexual assault, a 19-year-old Madison man was long-boarding on North Brooks Street at Fahrenbrook Court when he tried to pass by a group of men who appeared to be “clean cut college-aged people,” according to DeSpain.
Police said one of the men pushed the victim off his long board, causing him to crash and go unconscious.
DeSpain said when the victim became conscious, he discovered the men took all the money from his wallet. He was treated for a chipped tooth and face and hand injuries.
The MPD is taking steps to provide information to residents in this off-campus area to ensure students are aware of how to prevent themselves from being victimized, including sending South District community police door-to-door Wednesday with safety information for residents, DeSpain said.
UW-Madison sophomore and Brooks Street resident Lauren Krupp said despite the crime in the area, she has felt safe in her apartment.
“I’ve only been here for two weeks, but I’ve felt safe,” Krupp said. “I have friends in the area, so I feel safe because I know I have people I can walk with.”
