By Andy Gutierrez/Murphy News Service

A University of Minnesota student was a victim of rape early Monday at about 12:45 a.m., according to a University crime alert.

As the victim scraped snow from her car in an off-campus parking lot near the intersection of 8th St. S.E. and 13th Ave. S.E., a suspect sprayed her face with a chemical irritant and proceeded to sexually assault her on the ground.

After the assault, the suspect fled through an alley. The victim was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.

The suspect is a white male whose height ranges from 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 1 inches, according to a description provided by the victim and an image captured by University cameras.

Minneapolis Police are asking anyone with information to call the Minneapolis Police Tip Line at 612-692-8477 and reference case MP-15-099682.

The University reminds students that the alerts serve as an aid to campus safety and are all in compliance with the federal Jeanne Clery Act.

Reporter Andy Gutierrez is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.