A Ventura College student alerted campus police last Saturday that she had been assaulted by an unknown man while using a public phone on campus.

The 18-year old victim reported that she was using a payphone outside of the J-building at 6:30 p.m. when a man approached her and tried to drag her away from the area.

She was able to break loose from his hold and ran to the campus police office, shaken up but unharmed. Officers on duty notified the Ventura Police Department, who arrived to aid in an extensive but unsuccessful search for the suspect.

Ventura County College District’s Chief of Police, James Botting, confirmed that campus and city police are working together to find the attacker in what they consider to be an attempted kidnapping.

Chief Botting recommends that students who use campus facilities late at night do so in the company of at least one other person. Solitary students are the most vulnerable targets for lurking criminals.

“The most important thing is to remain alert of your surroundings,” said Botting. “Recognize isolated areas and travel in pairs; there’s safety in numbers.”

The suspect is presumed to be about 6 feet tall, 185 lbs, and be in his mid 20’s. Any in information regarding this incident can be reported to the Ventura Police Department headquarters at (805) 339-4400.