Police: 2 women sexually assaulted by intruder at home near Rutgers University
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- The Rutgers University community is on edge after three women were attacked over the weekend.
Two of the incidents happened off campus and the other at the school's Student Center, CBS2's Christina Fan reported Monday.
Students across the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick said they are terrified this Halloween by the three unsolved criminal sexual acts.
"They are both equally horrifying," junior Ashley Fromer said of the off-campus incidents.
"We all freaked out. We all went around making sure our windows were locked and everything," sophomore Brody Finettl said.
Attention Rutgers New Brunswick Community: The Rutgers University Police Department is investigating a criminal...
Posted by Rutgers University Police Department - RUPD on Sunday, October 30, 2022
The first two attacks happened in the same house on Central Avenue, police said, adding a man, about 5-foot-8 and wearing a yellow sweatshirt, broke into the home through an unlocked window.
Police said he first struck Saturday at 3 a.m. and inappropriately touched one woman. He then returned at 2 a.m. Sunday and sexually assaulted another victim, who then chased him out of the house.
"She is distraught, yeah. It's a serious matter," said Mohammed Zadeh, who owns Friends Café nearby.
Zadeh said he feels sickened. He knows both victims well and said the students often study at his restaurant. He and surrounding business owners have turned in their surveillance video to detectives, hoping it captured something useful.
"I can't imagine what their parents are feeling, like this must be devastating. I can't even put myself in a second in that position. It's very, very hard," Zadeh said.
"It's like torture for the girls family. It's not good. I have daughter here. I don't want to be afraid," said Asude Kurnaz of Namli Restaurant.
Police also need help solving the third, unrelated incident that happened at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday at the Student Center on College Avenue. They say the suspect started a conversation with a woman, dropped an item into her lap, and then inappropriately touched her while retrieving that item.
That suspect is described as a man 6-foot and approximately 180 pounds, in his late 20s or early 30s, wearing dark-colored clothing with a blue vest.
Police presence has been ramped up across campus, but students still feel unsettled.
"I never walk alone at night. I always make sure I'm with people. I keep all my doors locked. We have a Ring doorbell to make sure that if somebody tries to get in, we have documentation," Fromer said.
In a statement, the university told CBS2 the safety of its students remains a top priority and that police presence will also be increased off campus.
Anyone with information is asked to call Rutgers Police at 848-932-8025.