Police are seeking a man described as 6 feet tall with brown eyes and black hair, a large build and a thick neck, who sexually assaulted a woman after following her home from a North Hollywood gym on July 19 around 8:30 p.m.
The Los Angeles Police Department is searching for a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Valley Village last week, after detectives said the suspect followed the victim home from the gym on Sunday, July 19.
LAPD detectives are searching for a man who allegedly followed a woman home from a Valley Village gym and sexually assaulted her, after the attacker approached the victim from behind and committed a forcible sexual assault before taking off.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the suspect approached the woman from behind, forcefully removed her pants and underwear, then stuck his finger inside her anus without her consent.
He was last seen wearing a tan long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and brown/black cowboy boots, according to police.
The lead detective on the case told KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos that he is “desperate” for the public’s help because the suspect could be a serial predator.
Desperation drives the investigation.
LAPD detectives told Eyewitness News they believe there are more victims and that the suspect targeted women outside other area gyms.
Area resident Jessica Orazco said, “It honestly made me feel kind of scary because I’m like around the area so especially heard it happened around the gym, so it made me kind of wonder if it’s the gym that I go to. But yeah, it’s a pretty scary situation.”
Another resident, Mel Vasquez, said, “It’s terrible. You come to the gym to work out and take care of your mental health and then that comes out and then that’s just more traumatizing for you.”
Concern ripples through the gym community.
Nicole of North Hollywood said, “Makes me really scared honestly. I come here alone so, I don’t know, I guess I’m gonna start having to bring my boyfriend or someone else with me.”
The manager of the Planet Fitness location told KTLA that any member who feels unsafe can ask an employee for an escort to their vehicle in the parking lot, and the gym said the escort service is available to anyone who requests it.
In the viral moment that prompted authorities to go public, law enforcement released surveillance photos of the suspect following his alleged assault on the woman as she walked home from the gym. The victim had finished her workout that Sunday evening around 8:30 p.m. at a Planet Fitness location in North Hollywood. According to police, the man trailed her as she departed the facility and walked toward her residence. Once at her home, he approached from behind and committed the violent sexual assault, then fled the scene on foot.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Detective Stanziale with the North Hollywood Sex Detectives at 818-754-8458.
You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Anyone with information can contact detectives or remain anonymous through multiple channels.
Those wishing to send a text tip can text CRIMES (274637) starting the message with the letters LAPD.
Anonymous tips can be submitted online at lapdonline.org.