Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, April 12, 2013
(BLOOMINGTON) - A 23-year-old woman told police she was skating on the B Line trail near Adams Street when a man tackled her, hit her several times and started pulling at her clothes.
Police have released a sketch of the man they think is responsible for an attack.
Police said they want to identify the suspect as soon as possible. He's someone who, according to police, is capable of attacking women because he's already done so, along the trail in broad daylight.
"That's why we're taking extraordinary efforts in an effort to identify him and get him apprehended," says Bloomington police Captain Joseph Qualters.
The man targeted the woman on the trail near marker 146.
"She noticed that there was a male ahead of her who began moving over into her anticipated path, and once she caught up with the individual, he then turned, tackled her to the ground and began beating her around the head," Qualters says.
"He began moving his hand down toward her shorts," Qualters added.
According to police, another woman on the trail saw the suspect struggling with the woman. She screamed at the man and called police on her cell phone.
Police say the man fled into the wooded area around the trail.
According to a witness and a composite sketch, the man is a male in his late 20's or early 30's. He's 5 feet 10 to just over 6 feet tall, and of slight athletic build.
He's described as almost bald with very short stubble on his head and dark eyebrows.
He was last seen wearing a light gray crew neck long sleeve sweatshirt and light gray sweat pants.
Since Sunday's attack, Qualters says police have stepped up their presence on the trail, but say they believe the trail is still safe.
Police say there are no emergency call boxes along the trail or cameras.
"Our hope is that people will, much like other circumstances, take some responsibility for personal safety, such as not using the trail at night, making sure that maybe you have a cell phone available," Qualters says.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.