Student indecently assaulted on 40th St.

A female University student was a victim of indecent assault Friday night on 40th Street near Chestnut Street, according to University Police. In an unrelated incident, a West Philadelphia resident was shot in the hip during a robbery on Saturday morning at 40th and Baltimore streets. According to University Police Sergeant Michael Fink, in the first incident, a man not affiliated with the University "went off" into an angry tirade on the 100 block of 40th Street around 7:42 p.m. Friday evening and pushed around several pedestrians. Fink added that the man then grabbed the student, who requested that her name be withheld, and pushed her to the ground. The assailant then punched the student several times and "fondled her." University Police Officers Keith Christian and David Ball, who were in plainclothes at the time, observed the incident from their unmarked car, Fink said yesterday. The assailant was arrested by the plainclothes officers and taken to the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit located at 17th and Patterson Streets where he was charged with one count of indecent assault and one count of simple assault. Fink added that other pedestrians, who had also been pushed around by the assailant, fled the scene before they could be questioned by the officers. Fink did not know at what amount bail had been set, but added that it is likely that the assailant had a bail hearing shortly after his arrest. Officers at the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit could not be reached for comment yesterday. In the other incident, a man was attacked at 2:32 a.m. Saturday morning by two men on 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue, and was shot in the hip by one of them. Fink said that police did not know whether the victim was shot before or after the robbery, and did not know what was taken from the victim. Philadelphia Police Officer Tracy Griffin said yesterday that her department had no information on the incident. Both assailants fled the scene and no arrests were made. One of the men wore a brown leather jacket and the other was described as wearing dark clothing, Fink said. Police do not know which of the men carried the gun. Fink added that the police did not have any information on the victim's condition.

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