College Student Sexually Assaulted in Fairfield, Conn.

Police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted and robbed a Sacred Heart University student in Fairfield, Conn.

The student was assaulted and robbed around 3 a.m. Monday after the attacker entered her home on Berkeley Road in the Tunxis Hill neighborhood, police said.

Authorities have released a sketch of the suspect (see above).

Sacred Heart University says it's offering the student and her family counseling and any other assistance they may need. The school said safety is its "highest priority" for both on-campus and off-campus students, and regularly discusses safety tips during floor meetings and through other correspondence. 

Fairfield Police are investigating.

"Anybody who dares to go into someone's home at night when they're home, especially when the home is occupied, in my book is an extremely dangerous person," said Fairfield Police Lt. James Perez. 

Longtime resident Antoinette Odierna said news of the attack has shattered her four decades of peace in the quiet neighborhood.

"I can't talk right when I hear this," she said. "I'm a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. You don't want to hear this."

Anyone with information on the suspect or the attack should call the Fairfield Police Detective Bureau at 203-254-4840.

-- Marc Santia contributed to this report