Woman Raped and Tortured in Hamilton Heights

The police are looking for a man who raped, beat, and burned a 23-year-old woman in her Hamilton Heights apartment Friday night. The attacker followed the woman into her apartment building around 9:30PM and terrorized her for 19 hours, repeatedly raping and beating her. He left only after throwing a chemical on her and setting her apartment on fire. The woman managed to escape, and the Post reports that the police got there Saturday afternoon: "Cops responded to a 911 call of a fire and a sexual assault and found the dazed and shaken victim near her superintendent's basement apartment on Hamilton Terrace, off West 141st Street."

Shocked residents told the Daily News that the building's security was not substantial. One said, "All you have to do is give the door a real good boot and 'pop,' it's opened," while another said that tenants had previously complained about the weak door. And other area residents were upset with the attack, expressing dismay on NY1 that such a crime could take place in their neighborhood.

The woman suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and is still under evaluation. The police are looking for a dark skinned man, around 6'1", 180 pounds, bald with a goatee and a scar on his abdomen. Call Crimestoppers (800-577-TIPS) with information.