Police Searching For Suspect Who Attacked 3 Students On University Of Florida Campus

Early Friday morning, a woman in Gainesville was attacked and now the police are looking for the suspect.

They told First Coast News that the suspect fits the description of the man involved in 3 separate alleged attacks on the University Florida campus in less than one week.

A warning was given by the University of Florida that a female had been attacked in the area of Library West. Maj. Brad Barber with the University police said, the victim was walking near the library around 3 a.m. That’s when a man allegedly grabbed her, but that student said that she used self-defense and frightened the man.

Before this incident, 2 attacks took place over the weekend. The victim of the first attacked was a 21-year-old woman on Northwest 2nd Avenue around 9 p.m. on Saturday.

According to the police, the suspect punched the victim in the face and tore some of her clothes off before fleeing into a crowd of football fans who left the game early due to rainy weather.

On Sunday around 2 a.m., University police responded to a call near 13th Street, where a 2nd victim said she was dragged from the sidewalk into nearby woods on the edge of campus. The rape was stopped when witnesses heard the victim’s screams and pursued the suspect.

Police said that the same man is behind these attacks. They are searching a white male between the ages 20 and 30, who stands about 6-foot-5-inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds.

Barber said, “We are putting more police patrols out and focusing on sorority row”.

UF Police are encouraging students to take Free Self Defense Education Classes.

On Thursday morning, another attack happened on NE 15th Street apart from these 3 attacks. GPD said that the attack is in no way connected with the suspect on-campus. The woman in the attack off-campus was knocked unconscious and found near the Church of Christ in Gainesville. They do not have any suspects in custody, according to the police.

News Source: www.FirstCoastNews.com