Attempted strangling and stabbing of UCLA student occurs in Hollywood

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a report of an attempted strangling and stabbing that injured a UCLA student in Hollywood about 10 miles away from campus earlier this month.

On Jan. 2 at about 7 p.m., the student was on her way home, possibly from UCLA’s campus, and got off a bus on the corner of Melrose and Normandie avenues in Hollywood off the 101 freeway, said Christopher No, a spokesman for LAPD. She turned south onto Mariposa Avenue when a man came up behind her and put his arms around her neck, No said.

The man reportedly attempted to strangle her and pulled her to the ground, he said. A sharp object cut the student’s neck during the struggle but did not cause a life-threatening injury, No said.

The lights from an oncoming car may have caused the man to flee east in an unknown direction, he said.

He added that police are currently investigating leads but could not comment on whether they think the man intended to rob, sexually assault or murder the student.

On Jan. 7, almost a week later, a man grabbed a different UCLA student from behind near the Engineering IV building on campus and reportedly told her he planned to sexually assualt her. In that incident, university police said the student pulled away from the man and was not injured.

The two incidents are being investigated by two different police departments – LAPD and UCPD respectively – though police are looking into the possibility that the two cases could be connected, No said.

The man in connection with the Jan. 2 incident was described by police as black, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, 125 to 130 pounds, and about 25 to 30 years old. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident, No said.

Anyone with information about the incident can call LAPD at 877-ASK-LAPD.

Compiled by Erin Donnelly, Bruin senior staff.

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