Chapel Hill, N.C. — Police at the University of North Carolina have warned those on campus to take extra safety precautions after a reported assault Friday evening.

The alleged assault took place near UNC's Arboretum around 11 p.m., police said, when a female UNC student was walking through the Arboretum and was grabbed from behind.

The student was able to struggle free and escaped without injury, police said. The attacker then escaped on foot.

The suspect is described as a white male, in his 30s or 40s, approximately 5'8" tall, with a scruffy beard, dark hair, and dark eyes, wearing jeans and a long-sleeved flannel shirt. He is believed to have been unarmed at the time of the attack

Public safety officials urged students and staff at the university to avoid walking alone at night and to frequent well-lit areas on campus. They also advised people to immediately report any and all suspicious activity to law enforcement by calling 911.

UNC police asked anyone with information in connection with the alleged attack to call the department at (919) 962-8100 or Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC CrimeStoppers at (919) 942-7515.