The 22-year-old UW student who was the victim of a physical assault early Tuesday morning has improved from critical to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center.

“She is in satisfactory condition,” said Julie Mandart, a nursing supervisor at Harborview Medical Center.

Detectives interviewed the victim yesterday despite her serious injuries, said UWPD Assistant Chief Ray Wittmier.

“She isn’t fully clear,” Wittmier said. “We need our victim to be a bit more coherent. She had a serious injury, and she’s been under medication.”

UWPD and the Seattle Police Department have been working together to get a clear picture of what exactly happened.

“We’re still trying to piece together all of the different descriptions from witnesses,” Wittmier said, noting that police have talked to at least six different people who may have seen what happened.

The student was assaulted around 6:45 a.m. as she was moving her vehicle, a 2002 Toyota Camry, from a campus parking lot to street parking.

“We believe the incident was random,” Wittmier said.

Officer Jeff Kappel, an SPD spokesman, said the victim is a full-time student who lives in the residence halls.

“She has a habit of moving her car from on campus to off campus,” he said. “It is believed she was assaulted while moving her vehicle.”

Kappel encourages anyone who might have observed the assault to come forward and contact the SPD at 206-684-5550.

“It may be the most insignificant, minute detail, but it can be the major turning point in the case,” he said. “We want nothing more than to get the suspect or suspects who committed this crime and bring them to justice.”

[Reach reporters Erinn Unger and Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]