A Drexel University student awoke early Wednesday morning to find a man holding a meat cleaver in her kitchen moments before he sexually assaulted her in her off-campus apartment, authorities said.
The 21-year-old woman heard a noise around 4:15 a.m. in her West Philly apartment, police said. She got up to investigate and stumbled upon an unknown man holding the large kitchen knife, investigators said.
The suspect then sexually assaulted the student before fleeing the Spring Garden Street apartment, officials said.
The attack sent shock waves through the Drexel campus as many students wondered why they did not receive an alert from school officials about the assault.
Drexel's Director of Media Relations, Niki Gianakaris, said the school chose not to alert students about the sex assault because campus police "wasn't notified about the incident until hours after it had already occurred."
The sexual assault was one of two early Wednesday morning incidents involving Drexel students. Another student was slashed during a fight over a girl.
