BERKELEY (KRON) — A student was sexually assaulted near the UC Berkeley campus and investigators are still searching for the suspect.
According to the university, a female student was walking alone on Haste Street when the attack occurred. There is not much else known about the assault, but what is known is the reputation of People’s Park.
Students said it is a shady place with shady characters hanging around inside.
“The reputation that I know is just like a lot of homeless people, drug addicts live around here,” resident Isaiah Beckermayer said. “Perhaps that plays into the danger that people might now feel walking around this area.”
It is a busy corridor for many students to get to and from where they are going. Most people walk in groups, but some still choose to walk alone.
Most people agree it is not a safe place.
Students weighed in too.
“I think it’s unfortunate, and I think it’s terrible that this happened to this young woman, and I think it’s far too common in Berkeley just on campus and also in the surrounding areas,” student Leah Kaufman said. “And…walking by People’s Park…No, I don’t do it. This is probably the latest, like, sevenish by myself, and I never walk by myself. If you noticed that my friend and I crossed the street immediately. We never walk by there.”
School officials say People’s Park is dangerous and students should walk in groups near there.