A female University ROTC student was assaulted early Saturday morning outside the Hollenback Center at 3000 South Street, according to University of Pennsylvania Police.
The student was attempting to enter the locked building sometime after 5:30 a.m., when a man allegedly approached her and also tried pulling on the door. He appeared to be helping her to enter the building and asked her if she knew what time the building was supposed to open. Then he stepped back from the doorway.
When the woman turned her back on the man at approximately 5:55 a.m., police say he grabbed her from behind and began to pull her down the flight of stairs. She reported that she was uncertain whether or not her assailant had a weapon.
The man then let her go when he saw another student securing his bicycle nearby. Police say he fled the scene.
"It is not unusual" for ROTC students to be at the Hollenback Center that early in the morning, Detective Supervisor Frank DeMeo said. "Unfortunately, the person who was supposed to be there or meet her there had not arrived."
The Hollenback Center is the headquarters for the ROTC program.
The woman reported the incident later that morning, after telling her ROTC commanding officer.
The incident is being classified as an assault and is currently under investigation by the Penn Police.
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