A Santa Clara University student walking home with a group of friends was approached by a man who grabbed her early Thursday morning but she was able to escape by kicking him in the groin.
The woman escaped the attacker about 1:30 a.m. near City Plaza Park at Lexington and Main streets, police said. About 2:30 a.m., a police dog tracked the suspect to the nearby campus of Santa Clara University, but then lost his scent, according to police and officials at Santa Clara University.
Sgt. Derek Rush said detectives are not 100 percent sure that a weapon, possibly a knife was used, in the attack despite earlier reports. They are investigating.
This scare comes six days after a woman woke up at 4 a.m. in her Homestead Road apartment to a man standing with a box-cutter, pressing it to her throat. In that case, police said the man came through the bathroom window.
Police at this point don't think the attacks are related.
NBC Bay Area's Stephanie Chuang contributed to this report.
