Caught on camera: Unknown assailant follows woman home, attacks her in suspected rape attempt

A manhunt is underway in New York after an attempted rapist attacked a woman early Friday, WCBS-TV reports.

Just before 4 a.m. Friday, a 21-year-old woman was trying to enter her apartment in Queens when an unknown assailant approached her. A surveillance camera captured the encounter and shows the man grabbing the woman’s arms and pulling her in his direction.

Luckily, the woman was able to fight off the attacker and run away. The man also ran off.

WNBC-TV reports that the man followed the woman home and that he uttered certain words to indicate it was a rape attempt. The victim said she had just parked her car when she first saw the man by a train station several blocks from her home.

He attempted to talk with her but she sought to avoid him.

“He was trying to reach and grab my arm. And then as I tried to flee from him, he tried to come at me and tried to grab me again,” the woman said. “I ran and I screamed. That was my first response, because usually I have pepper spray or something, but I also like to travel, so I didn’t have the pepper spray on me at that moment.”

The woman said she’s a college student who has lived in the city her entire life. The attack, she said, was jarring.

“It happened in front of my house, so obviously I’m very worried, because he knows where I live,” the victim said. “You never know when he can come and attack me again,” she said.

The suspect is bald, around 150 pounds and about 5’ 7” tall. He was wearing a black shirt with short sleeves, a white shirt underneath, white pants and black shoes.

To report information about the case, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

[Feature Photo: NYPD]