2 sex assaults reported in Lincoln Park

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police are investigating two attacks on women in the Lincoln Park neighborhood over the weekend. Officials have not determined if the two are linked.

Overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, a 24-year-old woman was walking in the 2500-block of North Lincoln Avenue when she was grabbed by a man and dragged into an alley, where she was sexually assaulted.

The man, described as a 35- to 40-year-old African American, 6' tall with a thin build, ran away. Police say he has a medium complexion and was wearing a dark, long-sleeve shirt and denim pants.

Later Sunday, a woman was attacked in the 2200-block of North Racine. Police said the man grabbed her by the arm and slashed her shirt with a knife. She was not hurt.

"I am surprised. I just feel like this is a really safe neighborhood. I never really hear of anything happening," Katie Cohn said.

"I've lived in Lincoln Park for three years now. Other than this, I've heard one other story like that, so it's pretty surprising," Caitlin Lang said.

Both attacks occurred near the DePaul University campus, and the woman in the second attack is a student. DePaul University police and Chicago police both issued alerts. Women are urged not to walk alone whenever possible, whatever the time of day.

"It's also really possible this woman had walked the same route before and nothing happened. She is not culpable for the fact that someone raped her," Sharmili Majmudar, executive director of Rape Victims Advocates, said.

Anyone with information about either of these cases should call Area North detectives at 911.