March 5, 2008
Video Released of West Village Sex Attacker
Police are looking for a man suspected of assaulting two women in separate early Sunday morning incidents and released a surveillance video of him.
One of the victims said after getting thrown to the ground she got away and called 911 - only for the attacker to try again as she walked on Bleecker Street. She told the Daily News, "I started walking and calling 911 on my cell ... and he attacked me again...I kind of heard footsteps, and he bounded onto my back and took me down again." She then screamed and the attacker fled.
The suspect struck again, also on Bleecker, also knocking down another woman (the Post reports he "pummeled her and tried to draw her into a basement down an outdoors staircase") but the woman kicked him in the crotch as she screamed. A neighbor who ran out told the News, "The immediacy of her screams was undeniable. After the third scream I ran outside. She was hysterical. Blood was coming out of her nose. Her shoes were off. It's so scary and frightening. There is no one on my block at night. It is very desolate."
There were initial reports that other neighbors heard the first victim's screams but did nothing. Commenters noted the area has many drunken revelers and made suggestions, like "don't just 'scream.' Call out for help. Yell 'help me,' yell 'rape,' yell 'call the police!'" or yell "FIRE" to rouse other neighbors. One said:
"I'll be honest - this happened just outside my apartment and I did in fact hear it. The police came the next day and asked me if I heard anything, and I reported that all I heard were about 5 or 6 screams, and something to the effect of "get away from me." Then it stopped. I hear yelling every weekend night - boyfriends and girlfriends fighting, people just being rowdy, etc. There are two bars right on the block - and at 2:15 (when this happened) there are usually plenty of people around. Had she yelled "rape," or "please help me," I'm sure I would've called 911, or opened my window and yelled something, but instead just assumed it was just the usual. I'm so relieved she got away.Another commenter who also lives in the area said, "If I called the police every time I heard a generic scream, they'd be responding 3-4 times a night to the false alarm of a drunken idiot." In the meantime, the suspect, described as a Hispanic man, about 5'7" and 140 pounds (sketch) is still at large.
|
So the video shows a guy in a hoodie. Well that narrows it down to about 150 million people, or so.
no matter how much uneventful yelling or screaming i hear outside my window at night, i am always up out of my chair checking to see what's REALLY going on. and I've been here for 33 years, so it's all old news to me.
come on people, don't get so complacent. one of the many people mentioned who "heard something" should have poked their heads out of their curtains and called the freaking police. that is ridiculous. hopefully if --god forbid--you find yourself in the same boat as those two women the neighbors won't be as lazy as you!
yes, we should be vigilant and constantly watch out for hipster trash who get drunk and frequent bars at 2 in the morning. They might have something bad done to them and we must protect them with every ounce of our strength.
i hope something happens to you at 2am, with a stupid screen name like that...
You have to give those people who live near bars a break. They probably hear drunken screaming, drunken BF/GF fights, and whatever happens when bars let out and groups of people congregate and thought it's pretty normal.
Unless it's a prolonged type yelling, screaming dispute, then you're allowed to yell, keep it down there, we have to work in the morning.
I think it is a good idea to point out that a person should scream "help," and not just scream, if they are in trouble.
Anyone who lives on a block with lots of nightlife nearby can attest to the insipid caterwauling and commotion that goes on after-hours.
"one of the many people mentioned who "heard something" should have poked their heads out of their curtains and called the freaking police."
As the article says, at least one of them did. She went out and helped the second victim.
Beyond that, there's no way of knowing how many people may have "poked their heads out of their curtains" but not have had a line of sight to the particular spot where this was occurring.
And I'm highly skeptical that a 911 call saying just "I heard a scream" is going to bring any kind of urgent response -- especially having recently waited 20 minutes before police responded to my own call about a fight going on outside my bar (then, when they finally arrived long after the event was over, being told "you should hire your own security").
I am related to one of the victims, and she is not "hipster trash." She is a beautiful, ivy league educated, caring, and commpassionate person. Where in this article to you infer 'hipster trash?' Who are you to be so judgemental? Thank GOD someone did call the police and stop this. I don't know what I would have done if I lost her.
regardless of being hipster trash or not, these woman are human beings. HUMAN! the attacker is less than an animal and should be cooked the good ole electric chair-style.
I don't think people were referring to the victim as hipster trash, just the yahoos and NYU undergrads who can't hold their alcohol and feel compelled to scream nonsense from 12-5am, Thurs through Sat.