Two more assaults have been reported on the Northwestern University campus, extending a string of attacks that began in September and prompting the university to give parents and students advice on personal safety, officials said Tuesday.
Late Sunday, a group of men confronted a female student riding her bicycle, and one of them knocked her over, police said. About two hours later, a group of men stole a wallet from a Loyola University Chicago student walking with a Northwestern student, police said.
Authorities said they are unsure if the men were involved in nine other attacks or robberies reported on or near the Evanston campus since Sept. 27. Purses, wallets and cell phones were stolen in those incidents.
The university posted information about the latest attacks on its Police Department’s Web site and also planned to e-mail students and parents with recommended safety precautions, said Alan Cubbage, vice president for university relations.
“It’s clearly a matter of concern,” Cubbage said. “I’ve been here seven years, and certainly, we’ve never had incidents like this. It’s hard to say what the cause is, but it’s definitely unusual.”
Police were searching for at least four men who possibly committed both assaults.
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Compiled from RedEye news services.
