The Madison Police Department is investigating a residential burglary and alleged sexual assault that occurred near campus early Wednesday morning.
Police responded to a call from the 100 block of North Brooks Street around 1 a.m. Wednesday regarding an unknown suspect inside the apartment, a release said. The MPD described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his 30s, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall with scarring on his face.
The victim reported she fell asleep on the couch in her apartment with the patio door open and the lights on, MPD spokesperson Carlos Valentin told The Badger Herald, when she woke up to see the suspect kneeling by the couch and holding a knife in a non-threatening fashion.
"The victim pretended that she was still asleep by closing her eyes, but she then felt the suspect's hand touching one of her breasts over her clothing," Valentin said in the release.
At that point, he added, the victim jumped off the couch and screamed while the suspect exited the apartment with an undisclosed number of valuable items. The MPD reported some of the items were recovered a few blocks from the apartment, but the suspect is still at large.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said residential burglaries in the campus area are not uncommon, but added that the suspect allegedly having a knife and also allegedly sexually assaulting the victim make the incident stand out.
"I'm obviously relieved to know the student was not injured, " he said. "It could have been extremely tragic."
According to Verveer, a flash of serious crimes almost identical to this occurred in the late 1990s in the campus area. The MPD responded to more than 10 cases of burglary and attempted sexual assault in the summer months when people were more likely to leave windows open, he said.
"If it was a garden-variety burglary, it frankly wouldn't be a big deal to most people," Verveer said, adding the nature of the crime "makes it absolutely disgusting and shocking."
The area has not seen a case meeting this type of description in quite some time, he added.
