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Police Release Surveillance Video Of Univ. Of Md. Attacker

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Students are on alert at the University of Maryland in College Park. A woman wakes up to find a man in her bed groping her!

Meghan McCorkell has an important clue police want you to see.

A surveillance camera captured video of a person of interest in that case. Police say they want the groper caught before he strikes again.

The search is on for the man seen running away from the dorm where a female student was attacked. She woke up last Friday to a stranger fondling her in bed. She screamed, and he ran. Now students are on alert.

"If I woke up and there was a strange person in my bed, I would probably push him out the window," said UM junior Bridget Aylward. "That would be terrifying!"

"For the girls, I would see why they would be freaking out," sophomore Nick Steber said.

The university has 350 security cameras around campus. One of them captured that person of interest.

Police are asking for tips from anyone who can identify the man.

"They sent us a couple videos about who it was," student Sebastian Roa said. "Gave us a description and everything. So, we're keeping an eye out."

Even more frightening is no one knows how he got in.

"The doors were locked, they were locked when the victim got home. It was very secure," said Capt. Marc Limansky of the University of Maryland Police Department.

"It's a third floor apartment. It's very unclear of how he got into the apartment that night," he added.

"I live in a house now that's not monitored by keys or fobs," junior Grace Bourne said. "We have to lock it ourselves. So, it's kind of creepy. You have to take matters into your own hands for safety."

The incident is reminiscent of another campus case.

"Maybe the 'College Park Cuddler' is back? The guy who would climb into people's rooms at night," Aylward said.

Three years ago, there was a string of similar campus sex assaults. No one was ever caught.

Police don't believe this is the same guy, but worry, if they don't catch him, he could strike again.

Police are warning women on campus to be alert, walk in groups and keep your doors and windows locked. Anyone with information on the man in the security video is asked to contact campus police right away.

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