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The University of Denver issued a second $5,000 reward this weekend for information in a stabbing early Friday.
Another $5,000 reward was posted a day earlier for information leading to the arrest of a man that assaulted two students and may have been involved in two related incidents against female students Thursday night.
According to police and Campus Safety, a graduated student was stabbed in La Chateau Apartments on South York Street early Friday morning.
Twenty-seven-year-old Tae Joong Chung, a graduate business administration student from South Korea, is in serious but stable condition at Denver Health Medical Center after being stabbed once in the chest at his apartment, said Jim Berscheidt, director of news and public affairs at the university.
Police are looking for two non-university-affiliated women, in connection with the stabbing.
Witnesses describe the first suspect as a Hispanic female, approximately 5 feet, 5 inches, 20-25 years old, slender build with long brown hair and brown eyes. The second suspect is approximately 5 feet, 25-30 years old, heavier build with brown hair and brown eyes.
DU officials do not believe the stabbing is related to the four Thursday night incidents and brought police helicopters and score of police to campus.
According to police, Chung and three other students from South Korea, Joon Woo Lee, Young Who Nam and Jae Hong Seo, were in Chung’s apartment. An argument involving Chung and one of the women erupted at approximately 5:25 a.m. during which one of the women stabbed Chung in the chest. The two women then fled the apartment.
“This is truly a tragic incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Tae Joong Chung, his family, and his friends,” said Berscheidt. “We are making arrangements to contact his family and will work closely with them to provide whatever support is appropriate at this difficult time.”
Police believe the stabbing is an isolated incident and not connected to the Thursday events. According to a statement posted on the DU Web page, the string of Thursday night incidents began at approximately 7:30 p.m. when a dark-skinned white or Hispanic male followed a woman to the Conoco station at East Asbury Avenue and South University Boulevard. At 7:50 p.m., a man matching the suspect’s description followed a female DU student through the back door of her residence in the 1900 block of Williams Street and attempted to sexually assault her. She fought back and screamed and he fled. The victim suffered minor injuries.
Then at 8:10 p.m. a man grabbed a female DU student as she walked along the west side of South High Street and attempted to sexually assault her. She screamed, and the man fled when neighbors came out to investigate. The victim suffered minor injuries.
Finally, at 9 p.m. a man followed three female DU students along East Asbury Avenue as they left the Coors Fitness Center. He kept up with their pace and they fled back to the building. The suspect entered, then turned around and fled.
Police searched the area by helicopter and on foot, but made no arrests. On Friday, DU posted the first $5,000 reward. Meanwhile, two composite sketches of the suspect were issued by the police and appeared both on local television and in daily newspapers.
Campus Safety and police have increased patrols of the campus and the DU neighborhood. Campus Safety has also issued a flier on the assaults.
Contact DU Campus Safety Investigator Al Monger at (303) 871-4226 or Denver police at (720) 913-6050 to report any information. Information can also be reported to the Campus Safety tip line at (303) 871-3130.
