By Diana XinThe Daily Northwestern

A 21-year-old Evanston woman was assaulted as she was jogging about 6:45 p.m. Monday on Ridge Avenue near Church Street, Cmdr. James Elliot of the Evanston Police Department said.

The case is still being investigated, Elliot said Thursday. When asked about the incident on Tuesday, Elliot declined to provide information.

A man the woman did not know came out from between two apartment buildings at 1709 and 1711 Ridge Ave. and grabbed her by her ponytail and her rib cage, Elliot said.

He began punching her on the back of her legs and she fell to the ground, Elliot said. She screamed for help and the man ran away, going south on Ridge Avenue, Elliot said.

Another resident heard the scream and called police, Elliot said.

Police found the woman and the Evanston Fire Department brought her to Evanston Hospital for treatment, Elliot said.

Elliot could not confirm Thursday afternoon whether the victim was a Northwestern student, but the Evanston Review reported the victim was a student at an unknown institution.

Alan Cubbage, vice president of university relations, said he had heard nothing about the assault.

No alerts about the assault were posted for students.

To increase off-campus security, the university added three new shuttle stops in fall 2005. SafeRide schedules were also changed to begin an hour earlier, at 8 p.m. when daylight savings time is not in effect.

This quarter has not seen a string of attacks on students as in the fall quarters of 2003 and 2005. Six attacks were reported in 2005 and nine were reported in 2003.

In April, three students were attacked by five men in a robbery near the Davis Metra station and one was taken to the Evanston Hospital.

Since last year’s dorm intrusions, NU officials have been working to increase safety on campus.

After a dorm security assessment, they decided in October to put security cameras and 24-hour alarms on side-exit doors in dorms. They will also replace security monitors with full-time community service officers.

Reach Diana Xin at [email protected].