A female Georgetown student was assaulted late last week on the grounds of the Georgetown University Hospital.

According to a flier circulated by the Department of Public Safety, the assault occurred between 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. on Feb. 16 between entrances one and two of the hospital near Reservoir Road.

DPS Director William Tucker confirmed that his officers were notified of the incident and that they are in the process of an investigation. The Metropolitan Police Department is also conducting an investigation, Tucker said.

The victim, Elizabeth Nakamoto (SFS ’04), reported that she was traveling to the hospital and became lost while trying to visit a friend who was a patient. When she asked a white male subject for directions, he grabbed her left arm and pulled her towards him. The student escaped by striking her assailant several times in the upper body with her purse and ran toward Darnall Hall. The subject did not follow her, according to the flier.

She was not seriously hurt but suffered redness where she had been gripped by the attacker.

Nakamoto did not return phone calls placed yesterday.

DPS gave a description of the subject as a white male, 20 to 25 years old and approximately six feet tall with a medium build. He was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and had no facial hair.

DPS believes that the subject may have been seen near the hospital’s emergency room shortly before the assault occurred.

MPD is looking into possible suspects fitting the subject’s description, according to Tucker.

The assault was the second such incident involving a Georgetown student within a month. On Feb. 2, Kathleen Kingsbury (SFS ’01) was robbed at gunpoint in front of her home on 38th Street in Burleith. She was unharmed but her assailant escaped with her cellular phone and wallet, which contained $5, two automated teller cards and identification cards.

According to Tucker, Georgetown’s SafeRides service, which provides escorts to students at night, does not run as far as Kingsbury’s house. As a result of the incident, GUSA President Tawan Davis (COL ’01) said he would look into possibly expanding SafeRides.

According to a DPS Campus Alert Community-Gram, Kingsbury followed many of their recommendations, including carrying only a small amount of money and cooperating with assailants. However, they recommend that students refrain from walking alone at night and instead use the university’s escort service if it is available.