Hunt continues for serial rapist

The suspect, linked to three rapes and the murder of a Penn student, has struck only in Center City. Earlier this month, Philadelphia Police Department forensics experts linked an August sexual assault in Center City to the May 1998 strangling death of Wharton doctoral student Shannon Schieber, as well as to two 1997 sexual assaults. All four incidents involved college-aged women. Since then, Philadelphia Police and University Police have been on high alert, hoping to nab the serial rapist before he strikes again. In Center City, patrols have increased, community watch groups have been formed and women who live in the area are locking their doors with a little more regularity. And here at Penn, Public Safety officials are going to great lengths to help make sure students and other community residents feel as safe as possible. Penn Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Tom King said that officials are closely monitoring developments in the case but are not overly concerned about the rapist moving west. Still, he said, "we are not taking anything for granted." King said that except for Schieber's affiliation with the University, none of the evidence from the downtown incidents points to a connection with Penn. "We certainly have a heightened sense about this but there's been no indication" that the assailant is targeting or will target the University, King said. And Captain Joseph Mooney of the PPD's Special Victims Unit also said that a move away from downtown would be unexpected. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that "anything is possible." "It's something we'll closely track and make sure we're on top of," he said. Following the latest attack in August, the 18-year-old victim, who was raped while sleeping in her apartment, was able to provide police with a new composite sketch of the suspect -- a significant help to the investigation, according to Philadelphia homicide detectives. King echoed that belief. He explained that copies of the sketch have been distributed on campus to Spectaguard security guards and that on several occasions, the unarmed security officers have detained men fitting the description of the rapist. In addition, University Police Chief Maureen Rush said last week that Public Safety is planning to hold an open University-wide forum in the near future to help explain the truths and dispel any possible myths about the crimes. Mooney said one thing his unit is concerned about is that the rapist's activity may actually be underreported and that other victims may be afraid to notify the police. Police believe it is unlikely the rapist was dormant from Schieber's spring 1998 murder to the rape last month. As for the suspect's next move, Mooney says that "criminals of this type" are very hard to second-guess. "On the one hand? you'd expect they'd want to be familiar with their surroundings for hiding places and escape routes," Mooney said. "But on the other hand, you have the increased possibility of capture [in the same area]. So it's hard to say which would be the more likely scenario." Penn Women's Alliance Co-Chairperson Hema Sarangapani, a College senior, said she expects the presence of a now-notorious rapist only a dozen blocks away from campus to spark some serious discussion within her group, adding that security alarms and counseling resources are two likely topics. But having female students hide in fear or creating a "little police state" is not the solution, she said. "I think it's on people's minds," Sarangapani said. "But I think it's more beneficial not to make this a 'rapist is going to jump out of the bushes' issue? and take a more productive approach."