In the wake of a brutal assault in a Carleton University science lab over the weekend, the school has tripled its security patrols, is offering free security escorts to students and plans to look into its policies on grad students working after-hours.

"We are paying even more attention to our safety patrols," Feridun Hamdullahpur, the university's interim vice-president (academic) and provost, said Tuesday.

"We have informed our students that they need to use the buddy system. They should make sure they have somebody with them when they are walking at night."

Carleton's acting vice-president (academic) Feridun Hamdullahpur said a similar assault has never taken place at Carleton.
(CBC)

A 23-year-old female student at the university in Ottawa was sent to hospital following a vicious sexual assault on the third floor of the Steacie Building on Colonel By Drive on Saturday just after midnight.

"In my entire history at Carleton … an assault of this nature has never happened before as far as I can tell," Hamdullahpur said.

While the university can't change the way students study — it's part of grad student life to work through the night — Hamdullahpur said the university is looking into ways to make students more comfortable and safe and to ensure security staff know who is inside university buildings.

Since Saturday, the university has also put up more than 200 yellow security posters and sent e-mails to students, faculty and staff with information about the vicious attack, including a description of the suspect, said a Carleton University news release issued Monday.

The school has beefed up on-campus security, is offering an escort service for students concerned about walking alone and has been conducting presentations to students in campus residences about university safety procedures, the release said.

Police receive 20 tips

Ottawa police have received about 20 tips related to the incident, Const. Isabelle Lemieux said Tuesday.

Since the attack, Carleton University has put up more than 200 signs around campus informing students, staff and faculty about the assault.
(CBC)

"Investigators are actively following up on the tips and they are also looking at whether or not the video surveillance available at Carleton University will be helpful to the investigation," she said.

Police were still looking for the attacker, a man in his 20s, she said.

The attack took place after a man entered the lab, approached the victim, tied her hands behind her back and beat her unconscious, said an Ottawa police news release.

The assailant removed her clothing, and then sexually assaulted her, the release said.

Afterward, the man cleaned the victim with a wet cloth and stole her jeans, cellphone, a running shoe and underwear. He then fled on foot toward Bronson Avenue, the release said.

The victim was sent to hospital with serious facial and shoulder injuries, but was in stable condition on Saturday, police said.

Her attacker is described as a white male in his 20s, 5-foot-8 or 5-foot-9 in height, with broad shoulders. He was bald and clean shaven, spoke English with no accent, and was wearing a blue hoodie sweatshirt with small, white lettering on the chest, jeans and runners. He was reportedly carrying a plastic bag from Macy's and had been drinking, the release said.

Elsewhere, two men have been arrested in connection with a sexual assault on an 18-year-old University of Ottawa student on Monday night, a University of Ottawa news release said. That assault, which took place in Gatineau, is not believed to be connected with the Carleton attack.