Woman Sexually Assaulted Near Pitt Campus

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – University of Pittsburgh Police and Pittsburgh Police are investigating an early morning sexual assault near campus. In a crime alert issued Sunday morning, Pitt Police say a woman was sexually assaulted around 2:10 a.m. on Melwood Avenue between Centre Avenue and Bayard Street. Pittsburgh Police say the woman had just gotten off a PRT bus and was walking to her apartment while on the phone when a man came up behind her, said he had a weapon and told her to stop talking on the phone. He then assaulted her in an alley, threatened to kill her and punched her in the eye. The woman told police she saw a knife during the assault and that the man stole her phone. She was able to call 911 after he got “scared off” and ran. Both departments describe the suspect as a man who is approximately 30-40 years of age, has a thin build and stands about 5 feet, 6 inches tall or, 5 feet, 7 inches tall. The man was last seen wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, cargo pants and a ski mask. Anyone with information about this incident should call Pittsburgh Police’s Special Victims Unit at 412-323-7141, Pitt Police at 412-624-2121 and reference report #24-00770, or 911.