Help sought finding rapist in brutal assault during evening commute at East Hollywood metro station
03/23/2019 8:32 am PDT
By Tracy Bloom, Kareen Wynter, and Carlos Saucedo, KTLA
EAST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KTLA) -- The search continued Friday for a man being sought in connection with a vicious sexual assault at a Metro Red Line Station in East Hollywood.
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Police Department released a surveillance video image and a suspect sketch of the wanted man as they sought the public's help to track him down.
The brazen attack took place at the height of the evening rush-hour commute on March 14, at the Vermont/Sunset station located in the 1500 block of North Vermont Avenue, according to LAPD.
Police described the victim as a woman in her 60s.
Police said the victim approached the man around 6 p.m. to ask for directions. The victim was then lured into a secluded emergency exit stairwell before being raped, strangled and punched, an LAPD news release stated.
There was no immediate word on the victim's condition.
The suspect in the case is a transient who may frequent the Compton area and has been spotted before in Santa Monica, according to police.
He's described by LAPD as black, about 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, between 165 and 180 pounds, with a shaved head. He had an earring in his right ear and a 2- to 3-inch scar on his left forearm.
Anyone who recognizes the man or has information about the attack is asked to call LAPD Detective Rodriguez at 323- 561-3328, or the department at 877-527-3247.