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Video: Man Assaulted Two Women In West L.A. Over The Weekend, Police Say
Two women were attacked over the holiday weekend in West L.A., presumably by the same man, according to a release from the LAPD. The first attack happened on Saturday, July 2. The alleged attacker grabbed a woman in her 20s from behind as she was walking home, then forced her across the street to a nearby dark pathway where he threw her on the ground and climbed on top of her. As the victim fought back, the attacker hit her several times and sexually assaulted her before running away.
"The victim tried to fight back, but the suspect punched her numerous times to quiet her, and then went on to sexually assault her," Capt. Tina Nieto said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, KTLA reports.
On Monday, July 4, the attacker again grabbed a woman as she was walking home at about 4:15 p.m. in the 1900 block of South Westgate Avenue in the Sawtelle area. He wrapped his arm around her neck and dragged her into a driveway, where he sexually assaulted her and once again fled the scene. The second attack was less than a mile away from the first.
The attacker has been described as a black male, about 25 to 30 years old, who is about 6 feet tall and 160 pounds with black hair and a beard. Police have also released a short video of the alleged attacker. "Once you see the video, it appears it could be your next-door neighbor," Nieto said.
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Police believe the man may have attacked other women in the area, or that there may be witnesses to the attacks that can help them find him. Anyone with information should call the LAPD West Bureau Special Assault Section at 213-473-0447.
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