Windsor Terrace Sex Assault Linked To Other Area Attacks

Though initial reports about a sexual assault in Windsor Terrace last night indicated that the attack was unrelated to other incidents in the area, police now say that it fits the pattern. An unidentified woman was walking to her mother's home just before midnight when she "felt like she was being followed," one police source tells the Daily News. "She turned around and saw a man." She told investigators that after she looked at him, the man put his hand on a car, presumably to pretend that he was a driver getting in his vehicle.

The 20-year-old woman removed her headphones and continued walking, and so did her assailant, who sneaked up behind her and grabbed her breasts with both hands. By this time, she was almost at her mother's home, and her screams brought her mother to the window. The perp ran off before anything worse happened, but a source tells the News, "She got a good look at him and could identify him."

Investigators believe the man is connected to some of the previous 11 assaults, but yesterday NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly also said it was likely there were more than one attacker. Local residents have been on edge for months, and one woman tells NY1, "I walked home again the other night and I called someone on the phone and talked to them the whole way home, just so in case something happened.... I don't know why that would really save you, but it would give you peace of mind." The neighborhood group Safe Slope is also helping to arrange volunteer escorts to walk with women coming home at night.

According to police, the attacker last night is a Hispanic male, about 5-foot-4, wearing a dark tank top and jeans. Here's surveillance video (he doesn't seem to be wearing a tank top to us.)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 10, 2011 3:12 PM

Comments [rss]

Jo Anna

<<... attacker last night is a Hispanic male, about 5-foot-4, wearing a dark tank top and jeans. Here's surveillance video (he doesn't seem to be wearing a tank top to us.)>> Query for reporter: - exactly which attack location was this surveillance video taken from? And maybe underneath his shirt he might be wearing, gee, I don't know.... A BLACK TANK TOP? Maybe he does have more clothes than what he was wearing. Let's keep with the crux of the problem. @ SeasTooFar? These videos were not taken WT. I live in WT, near the crime scene. So it's a beautiful Sunday evening, no work for many on Monday - what time should I be locked up at home? My mother had no concerns back in the 80s when I was 'hanging out' because our guys walked girls home. Geez, how old school! But obviously raised by mother's who knew someday they will be husbands, fathers, grandfathers, uncles and they would want someone to do the same for their loved ones.

SeasTooFarToReach

Hmmm. I think those are two different guys on the video. Both pants and shirts look different colors.

As for the silly strategy marekgerbe and Rocknrope commented about, I think the best thing to do is to be really aware. The lady from last night was using headphones until she saw the guy following her? Around 12AM? C'mon ladies!

I personally have been looking like a periscope when I get out of the subway station. Something tells me he stands near the stations waiting for women to come out alone and distracted, then he starts following them. So I look in every direction and if there's no one around, I grab my pepper spray. NY State registered. Bought it at Neergard Pharmacies awhile ago. Better than nothing, I guess.

Rocknrope

"I walked home again the other night and I called someone on the phone and talked to them the whole way home, just so in case something happened."

Dumbest anti-mugging strategy ever. "Yeah, I'm on the phone not paying attention to my surroundings! Yeah. Mhmm. Because, you know, muggers are polite enough not to interrupt a conversation! Yeah."

marekgerbe

"I walked home again the other night and I called someone on the phone and talked to them the whole way home, just so in case something happened.... I don't know why that would really save you, but it would give you peace of mind."

The smarter route would be to look around and remain alert to prevent yourself from getting into a tricky situation than to be distracted and make yourself more vulnerable. Sure, the person on the other end of the phone could call the police but that might be too late especially since they would not want to hang up on you.