Two women were assaulted in Fort Collins Thursday morning, but it's too early to tell if the latest assaults are linked to a string of similar crimes in the city, police said. The assaults were reported at 3:09 a.m., at The Warf at the Landing apartment complex, 3700 block of Landing Drive, near where one of the five previous sexual assaults occurred, according to police. The location is on the south end of Fort Collins. Julie Hayden Reports On The Investigation
Rita Davis Discusses Latest Attacks
Residents On Guard After Sex Assault Police spokeswoman Rita Davis said that two women living in the same apartment were sexually assaulted by a suspect who entered through an unlocked apartment window. The suspect tied up and blindfolded the first victim and forced her to perform an unspecified sexual act before going into her roommate's bedroom, according to authorities. "From our understanding, he was scared off when the first victim entered the bedroom of the second victim," Davis said. Both victims were students at Front Range Community College, according to Davis, and are 21 and 22 years of age. Police hope that evidence from the scene will help track down the suspect. A witness who was awakened by screaming told police that a faded, light-blue, mid-size four-door late 1980s model sedan left the scene at high speed.

PREVIOUS ASSAULTS

May 10 in the 2700 block of Raintree Drive,

June 13 in the 2600 block of Raintree Drive,

June 24 in the 2000 of Battlecreek Drive,

July 26 in the 1200 block of W. Prospect, and

August 5 in the 1200 block of University Avenue.

In addition to DNA evidence collected at a previous attack, police said that they also collected fingerprints and a possible footwear impression Thursday that might have been left by the suspect. Though authorities could not say if the crime was related to any of the other recent attacks, they did say that the attacks were all similar in that they were not typical sex assaults. In each of the previous cases, a suspect blindfolded his victims and forced them to perform a sexual act. Police have not revealed any more information about the assaults other than to say that the victims were not raped. "At this point there are not enough details to know if this most recent alleged sex assault is connected (to the others)," said Rita Davis, Fort Collins Police spokeswoman. "The investigators have not even interviewed the vicitm yet," she said early Thursday. Since May 10, five women have reported that a man entered their apartments through unlocked doors or windows, blindfolded them and forced them to perform a sexual act. However, this is the first crime involving two victims. A police task force has been working exclusively on the attacks. Officers have increased patrols and also have worked with a former FBI agent to develop a profile of the suspect. In the previous cases, the suspect fit this description:

White male with dark complexion

20 to 30 years old

5'8" to 5'11"

Full head of short to medium length brown hair

Slightly overweight with love handles

Upper torso had a "box build"

Callused hands with shorter/thick fingers and dirty fingernails

Odor of cigarette smoke

Police said that while they are getting closer to catching a suspect, they warn that area residents should make sure all their windows are locked because investigators believe that the suspect will not stop until he is caught. There is a reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Caution Added To Festive Atmosphere

Classes were back in session Thursday and there was a festive atmosphere, but the string of attacks is forcing residents to be more guarded than usual, 7NEWS reported. "People are very friendly here. People talk to each other and hang out with each other, so it’s a little odd for us," resident Andrea McGee said. "I live in a basement apartment, so we put boards in our windows and lock all our windows every night. It scares me to be home alone, so we're always together -- we don't leave the house alone," high school junior Cinda Hunter said. Previous Stories:

• August 10, 2001: Police Warn Residents About Sex Assault Suspect
• August 8, 2001: With Rash Of Sexual Attacks, CSU Beefs Up Security
• August 8, 2001: Serial Rapist May Be Prowling Fort Collins
• August 5, 2001: Possible Serial Sex Assault Suspect Strikes Again In Fort Collins
• July 27, 2001: Another Sex Assault Reported In Fort Collins
• July 12, 2001: Hockey Stick Sends Intruder Fleeing
• June 25, 2001: Fort Collins Sex Assaults Investigated

Additional Resources:

• Fort Collins Police Sex Asault Page