Berkeley Police Believe Weekend Sexual Assault Is Linked to Prior Attacks

The Berkeley Police Department has announced it believes a sexual assault near the Cal campus early Saturday is linked to three other attacks in the area in mid-February.

Police say the latest incident took place at 12:09 a.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of Etna Street, near Dwight Way.

The female victim, whose age was not released, was “approached from behind by the male suspect who dragged her off of the sidewalk and sexually assaulted her,” a police statement said.

Berkeley added Saturday evening that the victim in this most recent incident was a 21-year-old woman who fought back against her assailant. Unlike the victims in the prior incidents, she was not Asian.

The attacker was described as Hispanic, in his mid-20s to early 30s, unshaven and wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. Police said that, though this description differed slightly from prior descriptions, they believe the suspect could be the same person.

“We believe that the incident relates to previous assaults in the South Campus area,” police said in Saturday’s statement. “Detectives are seeking the community’s help in identifying the suspect.”

Police released a security-camera video -- see above -- of the man believed to be the suspect in the first three attacks.

Read the full story on Berkeleyside:
Police believe new sexual assault in Berkeley is linked to prior attacks