Two crimes in Georgetown occurring within 12 hours of each other this week prompted the university to send out its second campus-wide safety alert in recent days, although safety officials said that campus crime has dropped significantly this fall.

According to reports from the Department of Public Safety and etropolitan Police Department, a Georgetown freshman was sexually assaulted near 32nd and O Streets at approximately 6:15 p.m. Monday evening. The following morning, at 6:13 a.m., Meredith McKittrick, an associate history professor, was robbed at knifepoint near Lauinger Library. Both victims escaped the incidents without injury.

McKittrick said she was walking near the library when a man approached her and asked, “Can I ask you something?” When she said yes, the suspect blocked her path, produced a knife and demanded money.

McKittrick said she hesitated at first, causing the man to grow angry.

“When I paused, he grew agitated, said, `You think this is a fucking joke? You see this knife?’ and then thrust it closer to me, at which point I hurled my bag at his face and took off at a run,” McKittrick said.

She said the suspect then took her purse and ran in the opposite direction.

McKittrick said she quickly got help from bystanders. DPS and PD both responded to the incident.

MPD reported the suspect as a black male between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds with short black hair. According to the police report, the suspect took $50 in valuables belonging to cKittrick.

DPS and MPD accounts of the sexual assault say that the student was grabbed on her left leg and buttock while passing a seated man on the sidewalk. After saying, “Don’t touch me!” she fled the scene and notified DPS.

MPD responded to the crime and later apprehended the suspect at the 1500 block of Wisconsin Avenue. The suspect was arrested and charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse.

Vice President for University Safety Dave Morrell said he did not see a major change in criminal activity in the crimes. “I do not think the criminals are getting bolder, although a robbery at 6:15 a.m. is unusual,” he said.

DPS Director Darryl Harrison noted that despite the recent incidents, crime has been down this semester.

“The robbery was only the third such incident this school year,” he said. “Compared to the same time period last year, there were 16.”

Harrison and Morrell pointed to the university’s efforts at preventing crime as helping to keep the number of incidents down this semester. Morrell noted that more students are using University SafeRides shuttles and are generally more aware of crime. Harrison also praised student involvement in reducing crime and gave credit to DPS and MPD efforts as well.

Still, Harrison noted that this time of year demands extra vigilance against crime.

“What has been a statistical trend is that as we move into the holiday season with the change to Daylight Savings, there has been a tendency to experience an increase in street incidents,” he said. “For that reason we will be constantly reminding our students and staff to be extra vigilant,” Harrison said.